It has been reported in today’s Island Sun newspaper that Melbourne-based Vinay Reddy, the Managing Director of Vinay’s Food, has been buying cassava from Varivao Holdings Ltd since 2019 and has so far received seven containers of yellow cassava from the Solomon Islands but wants more of the crop.
Solomon Islands High Commissioner to Australia, H.E. Robert Sisilo, visited Mr. Reddy at his foods storage warehouse last month to thank him for partnering with Varivao and buying SI cassava, but he also asked why not taro?
“One thing at a time bro! I want SI to give me 100 tons of cassava every year and when we are able to meet our target then we will start buying taro,” Mr. Reddy said.
The Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) project of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade has supported Varivao Holdings Ltd with their Cassava export to Australia for the past year.
The project is now promoting other local businesses and farmers to grow more taro for export.
In December last year SI High Commissioner also visited Kokonut Pacific Australia (KPA), based in New South Wales, and thanked the owners for partnering with Kokonut Pacific Solomon Islands (KPSI) since 2004.
In March this year High Commissioner Siilo met Clive Carrol, Founder of C-Corp which buys Solomon Islands cocoa, process and exports it and at the same time provides many farmers with advice on crop production.
High Commissioner Sisilo also took time to meet Sol-tuna’s agent in Brisbane and was told the first container of canned tuna from Noro will land in Sydney during the second quarter of 2021.
Source: Island Sun newspaper
Footnote.
Since his posting to Canberra, High Commissioner Sisilo has put labour mobility and trade with Australia as his number one priority; he will continue reaching out to others interested in investing in the Solomon Islands.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
