PNG Opposition urges World Trade Organization to intervene on rice trade quota

PORT MORESBY: Opposition Leader Don Polye is urging the World Trade Organization to intervene to nullify the proposed rice import quota.
Mr Polye made the call when debating on the proposal.
“The import quota is anti-competitive and unfair for our long time companies which have been the industry players. It is not a sound economic decision,” he said.
He said Naima Agriculture Investment limited which, the quota would protect, lacked the capacity to meet the demand.
He said NAIL announced that it would produce 200, 000 tonnes or 200, 000 000 Kilograms of rice, adding it would import rice to fill the gap.
He added that ‘our people will be on the big time losers.’
Competition, he said, encourages businesses to flourish and gives the people the liberty to choose among goods and services.
Polye has blasted those who were involved or played a role in the proposal to protect a new comer in the rice industry, saying the people had enough of the government’s arrogance.
“When we are in government, we will support competition in all sectors.
“Our people and exporters’ welfaremust be the priority,” he said.
This decision, he said, is yet another bad one and that the government should review it for the best interest of the country.
He also said if the proposal becomes reality, NAIL will become the single supplier of rice in the country.
Polye warns that if the government is stubborn to rescind its decision, the country’s exports will face tit-for-tat strikes by rice exporters.
Polye has commended Independent Consumer and Competition Commission for assuring the people to look into this.
Meanwhile, he said the company is owned by the Indonesian fugitive Joko Tjandra.