Dede Sophie

The PNG  Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC) is in the process of conducting a review of the prices of rice in the country. ICCC Commissioner Paulus Ain in an interview with NBC News says rice products are the main food that most Papua New Guineans consume daily. However, Mr. Ain says the commission is only monitoring the prices of rice and not controlling it. The 2022 Rice Industry Pricing Review outlined that the price increases were driven by costs increases in international shipping, blending, the need to source from higher priced markets to avoid shipping delays and congestion, and higher ports and wharfing costs. However, Mr. Ain explains that rice product is experiencing some stability, and he says the country should expect stability or a decline in the prices by the end of this year or early next year. Meantime, NBC News observed some major shops in Port Moresby are selling popular rice brands at K30 to K40 for 10kg bags of rice.     NBC News / PNG Today Next

PNG Minister for International Trade and Investment Richard Maru has invited Indonesia to host the first-ever and historical PNG – Indonesia Trade Meeting in Jayapura, Indonesia, later this year. Minister Maru made this invitation through Indonesia’s Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, His Excellency Adriana Supandy last Friday. PNG invites Indonesia for first-ever PNG-Indonesia Trade meeting  He said if Indonesia agrees to have the trade meeting, then they can put together an agenda for the meeting, as well as a technical working committee, to organize that meeting. Mr. Maru said PNG’s trade team will not only be made up of Government departments and agencies, but also representatives from the three provinces of East and West Sepik and Western Province. He said he will be meeting with the Indonesian Trade Minister in his follow-up trip to Jakarta after the trade meeting in March, to have their first bilateral meeting. Mr. Maru added that this meeting is to discuss Indonesian President Jok