𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗩𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝘁𝘂’𝘀 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲

Port Vila, 19 September 2025 – The Government of Vanuatu, through the Ministry of Trade, Commerce and Tourism and the Vanuatu Bureau of Standards (VBS), has taken another historic step in strengthening the nation’s export capacity.

The Honourable Samson Samsen, Minister of Trade, Commerce and Tourism, today signed the contract for the construction of the Santo National Standard Packhouse with Mr. Virginio Albanese, Managing Director of Dincel Mahisa Company Ltd. The Government acknowledges and thanks Dincel Mahisa for its trust and proactiveness in beginning works at its own cost, even before these formalities were concluded—demonstrating confidence in Vanuatu’s vision and commitment to shared progress.

The project, endorsed by the Central Tenders Board and approved under COM Decision No. 238 of 2025, will be delivered by Mahisa Company Limited using the internationally certified Dincel Structural Walling System from Australia. This standards-driven facility will be fully compliant with ISO 22000 Food Safety Management Systems and HACCP protocols, ensuring Vanuatu’s exports meet the strictest international market conditions for Australia, New Zealand, and the European Union.

The packhouse will be constructed using the Dincel Structural Walling System, endorsed for its unique technical advantages:

Fire resistance certified by the Australian CSIRO;

Waterproofing and long-term durability, ensuring resilience in Vanuatu’s tropical climate;

Hygienic, non-porous, low-emitting, stain-resistant surfaces, suitable for food-grade operations;

Cyclone-resilient design, addressing the structural demands of high-risk zones;

Compliance with HACCP and ISO 22000 Food Safety Management Systems, enabling full international accreditation.

By embedding these technical features, the Santo Packhouse will not only ensure that the building itself meets international standards, but also guarantee that all produce processed inside it is certified for safe and easy access to global markets.

This investment builds on Vanuatu’s recent breakthrough in agricultural exports, with consistent taro shipments from VCBN to New Zealand, sourced from various islands in Vanuatu. Maintaining this momentum, the Santo Packhouse will serve as a central hub for processing and certification, while future packhouses in Tanna, Malakula, and an extension of the VCBN facility in Port Vila will further expand capacity.

“This initiative is about creating a powerful economic corridor for Vanuatu,” said Minister Samsen. “With modern packhouses at its centre, our farmers will gain direct access to international markets, and Vanuatu will position itself as a reliable and competitive agricultural exporter in the Pacific.”

The Government reaffirms that the National Packhouses policy is not only a construction program, but a transformative mechanism to deliver higher incomes to farmers, diversify exports, and strengthen the nation’s resilience in global trade. The Minister also thanked all directors and heads of ministries for their collective effort in achieving government policy, and emphasized that this level of cooperation and speed must drive the entire government mechanism forward.