BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO
The noni industry is back on its feet following the crippling impacts of the covid-19 pandemic.
Solomon Noni Corporation (SNC) is breaking through the European market. It is exporting one container of noni juice puree to the Netherlands.
The end product from this export will be sold in Hungary, says an elated Bodo Dettke, owner of SNC.
This will be SNC’s second export. The first was to Japan before the pandemic.
SNC is enjoying a monopoly of Solomon Islands’ noni industry since Dettke has invested and perfected the complex processes and requirements of harvesting, extracting and preserving the product according to world standard.
Dettke who is also the Member of Parliament for Northwest Guadalcanal told Island Sun their second container was possible after harvesting and processing fresh noni fruits at the North West Guadalcanal constituency noni processing factory.
“This would be our second shipment, our first shipment was to Japan. For this second shipment it will be going through Netherlands to Hungary and next month repeat for Japan, following month my export will repeat back to Netherlands.
“So really the noni industry is currently operational again. We have been hit bad by the global pandemic for almost three years and really affected our sales because the global market was closed. Now the market is open and the hard work of the people in the Northwest Guadalcanal will be exported to global market,” Dettke said.
He said the shipment consists of frozen noni puree.
“This container will be shipped to another supplier who will make his own product by adding other flavours to this (puree) as base material.
“We have been also producing our own noni drinks which most people have tasted and drink it already. The current supply who will buy this container will make their own flavours of noni drinks and sell it in Europe but the sad thing is that they did not know where the noni products originated from because their product will go under their branding, not having any indication that the noni was shipped from Solomon Islands,” Dettke said.
He said only if the government of the day see the need and the importance of branding for them to be able to support the noni industry and to enable those running the industry export Solomon Islands own finish products.
“Hopefully if trade ministry, ministry of agriculture and ministry of Finance and treasury see the importance of this industry that took us now almost five years to survive it and also to improve the livelihood of the unfortunate people in the rural areas to bring small incomes to bring up their standard of life. This industry also provides employment,” Dettke said.
He adds that this week Solomon Islands noni industry packed 48 drums a maximum loading for one container that will be shipped to Netherlands.
“Actually this year we have secured about 140 tonnes to be exported in puree form and juice form. So we are looking at buying 360 tonnes of fresh fruits to come from North West Guadalcanal famers. This is good news for our farmers.”
Dettke said 70 percent of the farmers are women who have been benefiting a lot from this initiative of noni buying.
“This is where the noni industry players a vital role in supporting families’ survival,” he said.
The global noni juice industry had suffered under the pandemic, and is making its comeback. In 2022 it was valued at “USD 242.64 million in 2022 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 9.49% during the forecast period, reaching USD 418.09 million by 2028”, according to Market Watch.
