Fiji has not banned food imports from PNG. Trade Minister Faiyaz Koya made the clarification following threats by PNG’s Trade Minister Richard Maru that they would ban Fijian products from their market because of unfair trade deals. Koya says this statement by Maru needed to be clarified. “Fiji has not actually placed any bans on imports of food items from PNG. There are no unnecessary restrictions that have been placed on PNG’s imports and obviously this is a matter that could have been resolved much sooner.The pathway issue at the moment sits with their competent authority and not with bio-security. Our bio-security has done what it had to do.” Last week Maru lashed out at Fiji for not opening up its trade markets to a number of PNG food imports, saying Fiji had 14 days to respond or face bans on Fijian products. According to Koya the proper thing to do is to talk about the issue in the true spirit of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, and he has written to Maru seeking bilateral discussions. “We consider PNG to be a crucial trading partner and we will treat them like a crucial trading partner like we always have. We’re not here to have a trade war. Sometimes these things do crop up but it’s the normal course of business and at the end of the day they have to protect their borders and so do we.” Koya says they have not received any official communication from Maru regarding the 14 day deadline. FBC
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