PORT VILA,20 FEBRUARY 2019 (VANUATU DAILY POST) – The newly appointed Director General of the Ministry of Trade, Tourism, Industry and Cooperatives, Roy Mickey Joy, says while there is hope for export of Vanuatu beef to New Caledonia, the industry must make sure it has enough cattle supply not only for beef export but also for local consumption.
Joy said there are already problems with beef export supply to overseas market in terms of meeting the demand overseas.
He stated this in an interview when asked why beef was not included in the free trade agreement signed with New Caledonia.
The agreement with New Caledonia opened up export of 29 products from Vanuatu to New Caledonia.
Vanuatu products listed for export to New Caledonia include kava, cocoa, cassava, taro, island cabbage, noni juice, coconut juice and flesh.
However, Vanuatu beef has not yet been listed under this trade agreement.
“We have tried over the last 20 years to talk with OCEF.
“OCEF in New Caledonia is an entity that exists to regulate and administer local beef production in New Caledonia vis-à-vis those importations coming from overseas,” he said.
Joy says members of OCEF are very strong within the industry, and they have expressed that they are not ready to open up their market yet. “But i am sure that sooner than later, once the agreement is implemented and the further consultation we have with them, the more regular contact would simply lead to slow opening up of Vanuatu beef market into New Caledonia.
“Having said that we in Vanuatu have also got to learn a lesson here.
“The current rate of killings (of cattle) for beef in deaths, marriages and other ceremonies, far outreach the total production that is on the ground.
“We are already having problems supplying the entire Kobe market in Japan and feeding the abattoirs here (Port Vila) and Santo,” Joy said.
He said a state of the art abattoir was built on Santo by businessman Wong Sze Sing but there’s not enough beef to supply the abattoir.
Joy said cattle restocking, through the Ministry of Agriculture, has to be emphasized to ensure small farmers have enough stock to supply the local markets for deaths and marriages and secondly, enough production to supply the existing abattoirs for export purposes.
“I am glad that as of Monday the new Director General of Agriculture, Moses Amos, has joined the team.
“He is going to work with us and the Vanuatu Chamber of Commerce to make, create (and face) many changes and challenges we face in this country,” he said.
The DG said changes will be made through private sector development and the private sector will be brought to the table to speak on a one-to-one basis with the government of Vanuatu.
