PRESS RELEASE

 

The Pacific Island Noni Association (PINA) boasts a growing membership of over 26 Noni processing companies from 10 Pacific Island Countries. The Association was formed in 2003 to assist in promoting Pacific Noni as the premium product in the growing global Noni market.

 

In December 2004, 26 Pacific Island Noni processing companies received Official approval from the UK Foods Standards Agency (FSA) to export Noni juice to the UK and other EU members states subject to the terms and conditions set out in the approval notice.

 

The application to the FSA on behalf of the 26 Noni processing companies was sponsored by PINA. This historic decision was made possible due to the support of the ACP-EU Centre for Development of Enterprise (CDE) (www.cde.int) to PINA members.

 

Approval has been granted on the basis that PINA Noni Juice meets the exacting health, safety and quality standards detailed in the approval document.  This involves the implementation of HACCP, and installing pasteurising equipment in factories, as well as extensive analysis of product.

 

"It is important that companies who are currently exporting Noni Juice to EU member States comply with these regulations. Failure to do so could result in product being rejected by EU Customs Officials, which would be a setback for the whole Pacific Noni Industry" said Helen Russell, President of PINA.

 

Currently PINA, with the support of the CDE are developing a technical assistance programme to ensure that all the 26 Companies listed in the approval notice, meet the standards required by the FSA approval. Helen said, "This is a high value assistance programme and will be a great benefit to the Noni Industry".

 

For more information on PINA, visit the website www.pina.ws