MEDIA RELEASE
12 September 2013 – For immediate release
Vanuatu’s First Organic Copra Meal Export
Vanuatu producers have
achieved another milestone with the first ever export of certified organic
copra meal to Australia taking place in August.
Coconut Oil Production Santo
Ltd (COPSL) sourced the organic copra from the South Santo SANMA Community Coconuts
smallholder growers group and from the PRV plantations on Malekula.
Samuel Tiwok, Export Manager
for COPSL says ‘Wahoo we are the best Organic Copra meal Producer in the
Pacific, “GO COPSL GO”’.
Organic copra meal is a much
sought-after product in Australia, a valued feed supplement for organic beef
farmers who are currently experiencing drought conditions and as a high-protein
additive for organic poultry and pig feed rations.
Andrew Youngberry of organic
animal feed company Country Heritage Feeds, Queensland Australia, says
‘Procurement of the first of Vanuatu’s organic copra meal has allowed a wider
product offering to their client base particularly with USDA certified dry
season supplements’.
Andrew has recently been in
Vanuatu to visit COPSL’s production facilities and meet with some of the
coconut growers from South Santo. Andrew said that it was an incredible
pleasure to meet with those involved in the project and his company has an
ongoing commitment to exporting the certified organic copra meal and he
fundamentally supports the agriculturally based community project.
World Vision (supported by
the New Zealand Aid program) have been assisting the South Santo communities to
achieve organic certification and coordinate collective selling as part of the
SANMA Community Economic Development (SCED) project, which has the goal of
increasing agriculture-based community income by 20% by 2016.
Mackenzie Vagaha, Project
Coordinator for World Vision says ‘The farmers of South Santo are inspired by
their product being a valuable source of food for Australian cattle
farmers. The future is bright for SANMA Community Coconuts value added
export products’.
The shipment was facilitated
by African Pacific who, as part of the Vanuatu Sustainable Agri-Business
Initiative, have been working in partnership with all stakeholders to achieve
organic certification, secure markets, and boost growers’ livelihoods from one
of the country’s staple commodities.
Recently appointed board
members of the Vanuatu Commodities Marketing Board (VCMB) met with
representatives of the parties involved to discuss quality and pricing issues,
and expressed their support for the work being done to directly connect
producers with the customer.
The participants are grateful
for the support of all stakeholders – government, NGO and private sector – in
supporting farmer-focused initiatives to boost livelihoods of coconut producers
in Vanuatu, and look forward to many more exports in coming months.
Growers interested in organic
certification are encouraged to contact Norah Rihai at the Vanuatu Agriculture
College on 537 4853 for information and support.
PHOTOS:
Photo 1 - Vanuatu’s first export of organic copra meal
being unloaded from the container in Brisbane, Australia.
Photo 2 – Andrew Youngberry of Australia’s Country
Heritage Feeds meets Elder Marc from the Namoru community in South Santo, with
Emile Selmen and Jane Rutledge of World Vision Vanuatu.
Photo 3 – Ian Wilson, First Political Advisor to the Prime
Minister and Chairman of VCMB; Andreas Lombardozzi, African Pacific; Andrew
Youngberry, Country Heritage Feeds; Bernie Glaser, Chairman of COPSL; Jeffrey
Homal, COPSL; and Basil Hopkins, Advisor to the Minister of Trade and Vice
Chairman of VCMB met in Santo to discuss organic copra meal exports.
Media Contacts:
Vanuatu
Australia
//END
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Mission – Measureable improvements in the livelihoods of
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