Commercial Agriculture Business Permit launching in Port Vila this Thursday

July 14, 2025 11:11 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) is preparing to launch the country’s first Commercial Agriculture Business Permit and Agriculture Export Permit in Port Vila, following an initial launch in Santo.

The launch is scheduled for Thursday at the Tagabe Agriculture Park. The programme will open with a speech from the Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, and Biosecurity (MALFB), followed by a keynote address from MALFB Minister Ian Wilson.

A VIP tour of stakeholder booths will follow, with participants including farmers, island traders, vendors, and exporters. The booths will showcase activities and discussions linked to the permit system.

An awareness session will be held from 1pm to 3pm, covering the permit process and compliance requirements. This includes information on application forms, fees, minimum standards for commercial agriculture, business categories, and product-specific guidelines for primary agricultural goods.

During the Santo launch, Minister Wilson said the new permit initiative offers practical tools to support more sustainable agricultural production, improve access to markets, build cooperation between government and producers, and support the government’s economic hub initiative in Santo.

The permit rollout will begin in Santo and Efate this year and extend to other provinces in 2025.

DARD will provide staff to assist farmers and interested parties with the application process, recognising that the permit system is new and will require ongoing support.

Farmers and stakeholders are invited to attend the launch event.