Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has promised that his government will continue to make exports a priority.
Speaking at the Westpac Prime Minister’s Exporter of the Year Awards at the Sofitel Resort and Spa in Denarau, Bainimarama said the government will continue to provide the environment and the incentives that our exporters need to grow.
He said as announced in the 2015 budget on Friday, his government will from next year give a zero percent tariff protection and other duty incentives to businesses which will bring in semi- finished products for completion in Fiji and for 100 percent export.
He said this will also apply to bulk products brought into Fiji for packaging.
Bainimarama said this is a new opportunity for exporters and they intend to make further announcements in respect of this initiative.
He said these awards are not just a recognition, they are an incentive for exporters to question the value that they are creating to examine their systems and processes and to commit to raise quality of what they produce and how they market it.
The Prime Minister has encouraged all organizations, big and small, not to apply for these awards for the award’s sake.
He encourage them to use the awards as a standard to push themselves to be better, to sell more and to take their products and service to a new place.
He said government will make our mark in the international trade by ensuring that our products and services are of the best quality.
He added “Fijian Made” and “Buy Fijian” campaign can not be metaphors for exotic purposes.
Bainimarama said they have to mean quality in the mind of consumers and competitors when we take Fijian Made global.
He told the exporters that our export have been growing steadily.
He said our exports are expected to have grown by 8 percent in 2014 and government expect exports to grow even further next year and beyond.
Meanwhile, Mark One Apparel was awarded the 2014 Westpac Prime Minister’s Exporter of the Year Award.
Mark One Apparel Managing Director, Mark Halabe says winning the award signified a special moment for their company.
Halabe said this award is recognition of what their company has done in the last twelve months.
He said that the company has major investment for 2015 where they will expand their factory, spend over $2m in further equipment and hope to expand their to 30 or 40 more of their staff.
Other special awards:
Bank of Baroda Small Exporter of the Year Award: Nelesh Kumal Company.
LICI Medium Exporter of the Year Award: Ram Sami & Sons Limited
HFC Large Exporter of the Year Award: Tropik Wood Industries Limited
Technix Pacific Ltd Emerging Exporter of the Year Award: Pinto Industries Limited
BSP Import Substitution Award: Standard Concrete industries Award
Ministry of Youth & Sports Entrepreneur Award: Devesh and Bharos Farms
RBF Agriculture Exporter of the Year Award: Bens Trading Limited
Hangton Pacific Company Ltd Fisheries Exporter of the Year Award: J Hunter Pearls Fiji
Golden Manufacturers Ltd Manufacturing Exporter of the Year Award: FMF Foods Limited
Tropik Wood Industries Limited Forestry Exporter of the Year Award: Dayals Sawmillers Ltd
Telecom Fiji Ltd Information Communications Technology Services Award: ANZ Pacific Operations Limited
Recognition Awards:
Rosie Holidays
Pacific Fishing Company Limited (PAFCO)
Ba Industries Limited
United Apparel Fiji Limited
Pacific Cement Limited
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