Solomon Noni on high demand in US as 40 tons hit market

• 40 tons export to USA; 80 tons next

SOLOMON Noni Corporation Ltd has made a historical breakthrough into the USA market, the world’s largest economy after exporting 40 tons of noni juice to Los Angeles.

The 40 tons of noni was exported at the beginning of this month and 80 more tons to be exported in the next few months.

The 40 tons of pure noni juice will be reproduced with other fruit juice to produce a million cans 12oz (300ml) of carbonated wild noni drinks.

This is the second shipment; the first was 10 tonnes at the end of last year.

The founder and owner of Solomon Noni Corporation Ltd Mr Bodo Dettke said this is the second shipment and they are anticipating more shipments throughout this year, as the demand in USA is very high for noni in Solomon Islands.

“We have approximately 200 retail shops within the Los Angeles area within California. We are now in talks with 30 major supermarket chain and wholesalers to distribute our products America wide,” the caretaker MP for Northwest Guadalcanal said.

He said they are anticipating 80 tons for their third shipment and hopefully 160 tons by mid this year.

Dettke said despite the lack of Government support over the years, he is confident that the noni industry will strive into the future.

He said the noni farmers of Northwest Guadalcanal Constituency are setting a yardstick for other noni farmers in the country.

“The noni project is successful but I am very sad to say that our farmers in Northwest Guadalcanal will not be able to meet and produce the demand once our products are sold over 50 states in the USA. Is our government blind, stubborn of just plain politically jealous against this project which will clearly benefit our people in the constituency,” he said.

He said to date the government has not shown any proof of any development that is directly putting cash in the hands of the desperate people in the rural areas.

“Where is the $5 million allocated for Noni industry under the ESP package during the Covid 19. I appeal to the Finance Ministry and Prime Minister’s Office to be transparent and publish the names of all the recipients. It is believed the funds have been spent within government circles and ghost farmers,” Dettke said.

He said there is nothing to show in the past five years under the agriculture sector, just business as usual.

Dettke said the government lacks policy initiatives in the agriculture sector to assist local farmers and boost the country’s economy.

US Chargé d’affaires of the US Embassy in Solomon Islands Mr Russell Comeau has again praised the Solomon Noni Corporation Ltd for this historical breakthrough into the USA Market.

Mr Comeau also had the opportunity to witness the final loading of the 40 tons of noni juice into two 20feet shipping containers on Tuesday this week heading for the wild noni factory in Los Angeles.

“It was a pleasure once again to join the Solomon Noni Corporation Ltd’s team as they farewelled over 40 tons of processed noni juice bound for further processing and bottling in the United States. The last time I visited the production facility, the Solomon Noni Corporation Ltd team sent 10 tons of noni juice for its first shipment. So this four-fold increase in exportable product represents a significant win for the people of Northwest Guadalcanal,” he said.

The US Chargé d’affaires said this unprecedented delivery of noni juice concentrate for consumption in the United States not only demonstrates the dynamism and potential of Wild Noni drinks, under the leadership of Bodo Dettke, but also that of the agriculture sector here in Solomon Islands.

“I understand this 40 tons of noni juice translates into roughly one million cans of Wild Noni drinks that will be sold in the thriving USA market space.  Clearly American consumer demand for the drink is on the rise, and so the future looks very bright indeed,” he said.

Mr Comeau adds this type of sustainable trade translates directly into job creation for both the people of Northwest Guadalcanal and the Solomon Islands as a whole and people of the United States, a genuine win-win outcome.

Chairman of the North West Guadalcanal Subsistence Farmers Association (NWGSFA), Bernard Garo also praised the former MP for Northwest Guadalcanal Constituency Bodo Dettke for the initiative.

He said Dettke through the Solomon Noni Corporation Ltd has placed Northwest Guadalcanal noni products into the biggest economy (USA) in the world.

“I am very happy to hear this exciting news on behalf of our farmers that the market in USA is open. It is a historical breakthrough and to enter into the USA market is not easy. So I salute Mr Dettke for his initiative, leadership and vision,” he said.

Mr Garo said this new opening would greatly assist in improving the livelihood of the people of Northwest Guadalcanal.

He adds that he is surprised that to date the National Government has failed to recognise the importance and economic impacts this industry will have on the local economy going into the future.

“I was present when the Prime Minister, DPM and his cabinet ministers visited the noni factory three times in the past three years but it is sad to see that no support was given to this industry except for empty promises,” he said.

Mr Garo said this is the kind of investment the National Government, Guadalcanal Provincial Government and all MPs from Guadalcanal should work together to support the rural farmers and the grassroots people.

ENDS//

press release