By GINNAH MINI
The 5th European Union–Papua New Guinea Business Forum has provided valuable insights to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) on the requirements and opportunities for exporting agri-food products to European Union (EU) markets.
The EU represents a premium market for Papua New Guinea. Under the EU Partnership Agreement, PNG enjoys duty- and quota-free access, giving SMEs a significant competitive advantage.
Speaking via video conference, Frederine Derlot, Market Access Expert at the International Trade Centre, outlined three critical factors SMEs must master to succeed in EU exports: strict compliance with food safety regulations, full traceability of production processes, and certification to prove products meet EU standards.
“If SMEs want to export to the EU, the first step is to follow the basic regulatory framework—food hygiene, food controls, and packaging requirements,” Mrs. Derlot emphasized.
She noted that France imports about 24% of its vanilla from PNG, while PNG coffee already has a strong presence in EU markets. The forum, she said, is an opportunity to strengthen and diversify exports.
Esther Tiptip, General Manager of Colbran Coffeelands Limited, shared her company’s experience exporting coffee to the EU.
“Exporting to the EU is not easy—we have to meet requirements such as pesticide controls, food hygiene, and extensive documentation,” Ms. Tiptip explained.
She added that the new EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) imposes additional compliance requirements, making the process more complex compared to earlier years.
The forum highlighted that while the EU market offers access to over 400 million consumers, PNG SMEs must navigate a demanding set of quality, traceability, and sustainability standards to fully unlock this potential.