Tourism, agriculture sectors work to strengthen local supply chains

July 16, 2026 10:11 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook

Tourism and hospitality operators have called for more reliable access to locally grown produce, saying inconsistent supply, high costs and limited availability of vegetables, eggs, seafood and meat are affecting their businesses.

The concerns were raised during a meeting convened by the Department of Tourism (DOT), in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry and Biosecurity (MALFB), at the Holiday Inn Resort Vanuatu on Thursday, July 16, 2026.

The meeting was attended by MALFB Minister Ian Wilson and coordinated by the DOT Tourism Investment Division together with the coordinator of the 2026 National Agriculture Expo, Mr. Milroy Cainton.

In opening the meeting, Director of Tourism Mr. Paul Pio welcomed attendees and thanked them for making themselves available at short notice. He encouraged constructive discussion and said that earlier this year the Department conducted a survey on the consumption of local products in the country as part of the Tourism Value Chain Study, which has helped inform the Department’s understanding of the links between the tourism and agriculture sectors.

The discussion provided tourism and hospitality operators with an opportunity to share their views on the current domestic market for locally sourced produce. Operators, including hoteliers, restaurateurs and café owners in Port Vila, identified the insufficient and unreliable supply of local produce, particularly vegetables and eggs, as among the main constraints affecting their businesses.

Operators also raised their continued reliance on imported beef due to limited local supply, as well as the high cost of sourcing produce locally.

The supply of eggs received particular attention. Operators said current supply arrangements limit each business to as few as five trays per order, a volume they said was insufficient to support daily operations and forced businesses to seek alternative solutions.

The General Manager of Holiday Inn Resort Vanuatu and member of the Vanuatu Hotels & Resorts Association (VHRA), Mrs. Rashmi Tulsiani, said the resort was unable to source 1,000 eggs locally when required, reflecting ongoing supply challenges. Constraints on the importation of chicks and access to poultry feed were identified as contributing factors.

Elizabeth Worwor, owner of Jill’s Café, a well-known Port Vila establishment serving cruise ship visitors, international tourists and locals, raised concerns about the high cost of sourcing vegetables from the market.

Eric Chatelain, owner of Stonegrill Restaurant, raised the difficulty of sourcing seafood locally, describing it as a challenge for an island nation surrounded by ocean. He said this forced operators to rely on imported seafood, alongside continued dependence on a small number of beef suppliers.

Mr. Cainton, who also owns Pikinini Bar in Port Vila, shared his experience with the cost and inconsistent monthly supply of fruit used for juice production.

A key recommendation from the meeting was the establishment of a produce hub in Port Vila to serve as a single interface between tourism and hospitality businesses and farmers.

Under the proposed model, businesses would contract with the hub, which would then manage arrangements with farmers to ensure more consistent supply. Businesses would provide the hub with forward occupancy projections, allowing it to plan supply requirements for products such as tomatoes, carrots, onions, other vegetables and meat at least three months in advance.

The hub would also coordinate planting schedules with farmers to avoid situations where an oversupply of certain produce forces businesses to return to imported products.

The Chairman of the 2026 National Agriculture Expo Committee and Director of the Department of Livestock, Mr. Lonny Bong, invited tourism and hospitality operators to attend the Expo on Maewo Island from August 2 to 5, 2026, where they will have the opportunity to engage directly with farmers during business-to-business (B2B) meetings.

Participants also learned about the register of farmers eligible to apply for agriculture permits through MALFB, with the Ministry reaffirming its commitment to supporting serious, compliant and commercially sustainable farming enterprises.

In his closing remarks, Minister Wilson reassured operators that the Government was considering their concerns and that changes were underway, pointing to the Government’s island-focused initiatives and the Farm to Institution policy.

He acknowledged the challenges ahead while reaffirming the shared commitment of both sectors to work together. The meeting is the first in an ongoing dialogue, with a second meeting planned to ensure continuity and cooperation between the tourism and agriculture sectors.

It is hoped that the 2026 National Agriculture Expo will bring further attention to these challenges and help identify ways to improve the relationship between farmers and business operators.