The Manufacturers’ Council has described the ban on some uncooked poultry products from Australia as ‘premature’, and called for the ban to be lifted.
Manufacturers Council of PNG
Restricting the margins at which the kina can be traded against the US dollar has had little positive effect, with some companies struggling to pay bills, as the central bank reportedly restricts the purchase of US currency, Manufacturers Council of Papua New Guinea CEO Chey Scovell tells Business Advantage PNG.
The Bank of Papua New Guinea’s move to strengthen the value of the Papua New Guinea kina against the US dollar has taken business by surprise, with some business leaders saying it will impact on primary industry producers.
There is no question that Papua New Guinea’s manufacturers-which account for about 9% of the country’s GDP – have been caught up in the general downturn in the country’s economy, with a combination of lower investment in the mining and petroleum sectors, lower commodity prices and a stronger currency slowing growth and reducing domestic demand.
Cheap imports into Papua New Guinea are posing an increasing threat to local producers, with reports of foreign companies ‘dumping’ goods in PNG or under-declaring the value of imports.
Papua New Guinea’s retailers and manufacturers alike reporting significant drops in revenue this year. How serious is the downturn?
The sharp fall of Papua New Guinea’s currency, the kina, over the past few months is a cause for concern, with Manufacturers Council of PNG CEO Chey Scovell describing it as a ‘real kick in the guts’ for local manufacturers.
The CEO of the PNG Manufacturers Council has called for a mandatory requirement that major contractors building the Manus Island detention centre use local goods and services.
The Australian Government has moved to allay fears that Papua New Guinea companies will lose out on valuable contracts as the Manus Island detention centre is developed by holding business briefings this week.
Pacific leaders in the media spotlight this week, while the business benefits of Manus Island are debated and Australia issues an apology.