European Union to build canneries in Madang

 THE European Union may be given five canneries proposed to be built at the Pacific Marine Industrial Zone (PMIZ) project in Madang.

Trade, Commerce and Industry Minister Richard Maru (pictured) said that idea was discussed during a recent mission to Europe as a way of strengthening relationship that the country has with EU with regards to PNG’s fisheries sector. 

“We are building the Pacific Marine Park and the loan is for US$95m (K259m), it’s too important we maintain the relationship.

“When we were with European Union, we told them, out of the ten canneries in Madang, five of them we will be for European companies.

“Why? We want to continue our good relationship with them because we want them to give us the good market access so all our fish can go there.

“Our market is not in any of the other countries … it’s in Europe.

“So maintaining that relationship and looking after it like a baby is very important, in order to protect our industry and our people,” Maru said during a media conference yesterday.