Fruit and vegetables to New Caledonia

(Last updated: 16 Jul 2007)

Trends and opportunities

The market

Australia is responsible for over 50 per cent of total fruit imports and 70 per cent of total fresh vegetable imports into New Caledonia. Local production supplies two-thirds of the fruit and fresh vegetable markets. The total market value is estimated at over A$45 million. 

By quantity, the major imports of fruit into New Caledonia are apples, pears, grapes, and oranges. Of the highest share-by-value fruit types, Australia supplies over 50 per cent of the market for oranges, pears, plums, grapes and peaches.

By quantity, the major imports of fresh vegetables into New Caledonia are potatoes, onions, carrots, garlic, tomatoes, cauliflower celery and cabbage. Of the highest share-by-value vegetable types, Australia supplies over 50 per cent of the market for leeks, broccoli, red peppers, carrots, curly endive lettuce, cauliflower, mushrooms and shallots.

New Caledonia exports small quantities of fruit and vegetables to the Wallis Islands, Japan (squash), Tahiti (lychees) and New Zealand (citrus).

Opportunities

There are good opportunities for Australia to supply:

• potatoes
• onions
• kiwi fruit
• apples

Australia is already the leading supplier to New Caledonia of:

• tomatoes
• broccoli
• leeks
• artichokes
• celery
• shallots
• capsicum
• avocados
• oranges
• mandarins
• grapes
• melons
• pears
• stone fruit

Competitive environment

The New Caledonian fruit and vegetable sector is very competitive, due to limited numbers of wholesalers and current exporters, and the significant local production. A quota system protects local production. Once a month (on assessment of locally-grown supply) licensed importers are allocated a fixed percentage of the quota and then seek imports to fulfil that share. New Caledonia only applies the quota system to locally grown produce types. 

Australia and New Zealand are the main exporters of fresh fruit and vegetables to New Caledonia.

Fruits not grown locally include apples, pears, grapes, kiwi fruit and stone fruit. Key items produced locally are pineapples, bananas, orange, watermelons, grapefruits, lychees, lime, mangoes and melons, strawberries and avocados.  Domestic production is supplemented by imports when local supply fluctuates for seasonal, meteorological or other reasons.

A wide range of vegetables is grown locally including potatoes, onions, carrots, leeks, lettuce, green beans, cauliflower, squash, cucumbers, eggplants and zucchinis, and hydroponic varieties.  Local production of vegetables such as carrots, onions, garlic, lettuce, tomatoes and potatoes is supplemented by imports.

Frozen vegetables and dried fruits are almost exclusively sourced from France and other European community countries. Imports of produce classified under Harmonised tariff (HT) code 0714 (such as cassava, yams, sweet potato, taros) are prohibited.

Tariffs, regulations and customs

License and quantitative restrictions apply to most imports of vegetables, fruits and nuts according to seasonal availability of the local product. The import quota is determined monthly by a commission, and imports can only be made through licensed importers.

The total percentage figure for the taxes and duties are set out below:

• vegetables - 17 per cent (except frozen vegetables – 41 per cent; potatoes, onions, shallots - 12 per cent; frozen potatoes – 51 per cent)
• fruit such as grapes, pears, apples, melons, figs, paw paws, stone fruit, berry, kiwi fruits, passion fruits, cinnamon apples – 23 per cent
• fruit such as bananas, dates, pineapples, avocados, mangoes, and citrus fruit – 28 per cent
• apples – 15 per cent

Imports of produce classified under Harmonised tariff (HT) code 0714 are prohibited.

In general, New Caledonia uses a combined regime of duties, taxes and quotas. Import taxes are calculated on the cost, insurance and freight (CIF) value of goods. The taxes that apply to all merchandise coming into New Caledonia are:

• General Import Tax (TGI) – 0 to 31 per cent depending on product
• Basic Import Tax (TBI) – 5 per cent
• Customs Duty – from 0 to 20 per cent (only applicable to imports from non-EC countries)
• Conjunctural Tax – from 15 to 50 per cent (applicable on some products which are locally manufactured such as beer, chocolate, pasta, ice cream, etc.)
• Airfreight Tax - 8 per cent (please note; airfreight is not subject to TBI)
• Port Tax – 1 per cent

Industry standards

A quarantine certificate issued by the Department of Primary Industries must accompany all imports of fruit and vegetables.

The New Caledonian authorities have published a lengthy document that details specific requirements for each product. In some cases (eg. beans) no specific or additional declarations are required; the certificate will only detail sender, receiver, quantity, etc.  In other cases, additional conditions apply – for example:

• “Citrus fruits must be from a region ‘free’ from fruit fly, as defined by having undergone a procedure recognised as efficient in destroying fruit fly eggs and larvae (eg. heat, cold, fumigation). The certificate must declare that fruit comes from plantations at least 80 kilometres from any site where fruit fly has been observed during the last 12 months or has undergone approved treatment”.
• Cucurbitaceous vegetables, peppers, tomatoes must come from a region free from Bactrocera cucurbitae, B. Dorsalis and Ceratitis capitata
• Potatoes (for consumption) must have an import permit, be free of earth, not germinating on arrival and come from regions free from several specific diseases

Where applicable, French (or bilingual) labelling is a legal requirement. Retailers can be fined for displaying products that are not labelled in French.  

More information

To obtain information on duties applicable to your product, please contact the local customs, Service des Douanes de Calédonie, email: douanes.nc@offratel.nc

Further information regarding quarantine and phytosanitary requirements can be obtained at:

Direction de l’Agriculture et de la Forêt - Section Phytosanitaire
Phytosanitary department (equivalent of AQIS - ensures conformity with local quarantine)
B.P 256
98845 Noumea Cedex
Tel: (687) 24 37 45
Fax: (687) 25 11 12

Marketing your products and services

Market entry

Consult with the local licensed wholesalers that import produce. Restaurants and hospitality usually purchase from wholesalers.

The major supermarket and hypermarket chains can import produce directly.

Importers will require details of export prices and available product. Producing a French-language version of your marketing collateral will be an advantage.

It is important to be prepared to supply at relatively short notice and in irregular quantities. Importers tend to be loyal towards reliable suppliers who are prepared to meet smaller market requirements. As a small market, exclusivity is an advantage to the importer.

Some wholesalers only deal directly with Australian export traders because of the convenience of sourcing a wide variety of products from a single supplier. However, some are happy to deal with growers direct, providing the grower can offer a whole range of products.

There are no major trade fairs organised in New Caledonia. However, an agricultural fair – Bourail Field Days ­– is held each year in mid-August where the agricultural sector promotes its produce.

Visit the market regularly to develop business relationships. It is important for you to establish good personal relationships with the key importers/wholesalers and to maintain regular contact, as demand for fruit and vegetables fluctuates monthly according to local production conditions.

Distribution channels

There are seven major fruit and vegetable wholesalers/importers, most of them located in Noumea. In relation to the quota system:

• Each licensed importer is authorised to directly import the full range of fruit and vegetables  
• Each importer is allocated a fixed percentage of the monthly quotas 
• The allocations is provided to importers on the last Friday of each month
• The quotas are not publicly announced

Wholesalers/importers sell produce to restaurants, retailers (supermarkets, fruit shops and corner stores) and organisations such as hospitals, schools and the armed forces.

Noumea has a total of 20 supermarkets (some of which are part of the same chain). French supermarkets with local management account for about 70 per cent of retail sales.

The three main supermarket chains are:

• Continent-Champion – has one hypermarket and a number of supermarkets, and a purchasing office in Sydney (Pacific Market Development)
• Casino – has one hypermarket and several supermarkets and a purchasing office in Sydney (Pacific Asia Exports)
• Leaderprice – a discount supermarket, owned by the same group as Casino

The only authorised importer of potatoes is the Office de Commercialisation et d’Entreposage Frigorifique (OCEF) – The Marketing and Refrigerated Depot Office.

Transport

Airfreight is available on all passenger flights. Two airlines service New Caledonia out of Australia; QANTAS and the local airline, Air Caledonie International, have regular flights from Australia to New Caledonia from Sydney and Brisbane.

There are no dedicated air cargo services out of Australia to New Caledonia.

One cargo vessel services New Caledonia out of Australia every week. The journey is approximately three to four days. The volume of sea freight from Australia is around 4000 containers per year. 

Using the services of a freight forwarding agent is the simplest way to export your goods to New Caledonia especially with regard to language barriers and specific customs requirements.

Links and industry contacts

Fruit and vegetable-related resources

New Caledonian Customs Department
B.P 13,
98845 Noumea Cedex
Tel: (687) 26 57 81
Fax: (687) 27 64 97
Email: douanes.nc@offratel.nc

Office de Commercialisation et d’Entreposage Frigorifique (OCEF)
Potato section
B.P 258
98845 Noumea Cedex
Tel: (687) 25 08 00
Fax: (687) 27 39 192
Email: ocef@ocef.nc

Direction de l’Agriculture et de la Forêt - Section Phytosanitaire
Phytosanitary department (equivalent of AQIS - ensures conformity with local quarantine)
B.P 256
98845 Noumea Cedex
Tel: (687) 24 37 45
Fax: (687) 25 11 12

New Caledonian Chamber of Agriculture
B.P 111,
98845 Noumea Cedex
Tel: (687) 24 31 60
Fax: (687) 28 45 87
Email: canc-js@canl.nc 

Key importers

SODIPRONORD
Tel: (687) 27 54 57
Fax: (687) 47 31 87

SOCOCAL
Tel: (687) 44 12 48
Fax: (687) 44 21 60

SOPLI
Tel: (687) 28 51 26
Fax: (687) 27 32 02

SPIE
Tel: (687) 28 67 31
Fax: (687) 27 76 62

SOCIETE 4G
Tel: (687) 24 99 10
Fax: (687) 24 99 41

Pacific Import
Tel: (687) 26 16 76
Fax: (687) 26 20 82

CHEZ WILLIAMS SARL
Tel: (687) 26 21 96
Fax: (687) 24 04 03

LE MARAICHER SARL
Tel: (687) 27 33 38
Fax: (687) 27 54 28

LES HALLES
Tel: (687) 26 90 69
Fax: (687) 24 05 69

Government, business and trade resources for New Caledonia

New Caledonian Economic Development Board - www.adecal.nc
B.P 2384, 98845 Noumea Cedex
Tel: (687) 249 077
Fax (687) 249 087

Syndicat des Commercants Negociants (Traders Association)
PO Box M3
98849 Noumea Cedex
Tel: (687) 27 54 10
Fax: (687) 27 61 48

Syndicat des Importateurs et Distributeurs de Nouvelle Calédonie
(Importers and Distributors Association)
PO Box 11496
98802 Noumea Cedex
Tel: (687) 25 45 38
Fax: (687) 25 45 39

New Caledonian Bureau of Statistics
B.P 823, 98845 Noumea Cedex
Tel: (687) 275 481
Fax: (687) 288 148
Email: itsee@itsee.nc

New Caledonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
B.P M3, 98849 Noumea Cedex
Tel:  (687) 243 100
Fax: (687) 243 131

New Caledonian Customs Department
B.P 13, 98845 Noumea Cedex
Tel: (687) 265 781
Fax (687) 276 497
Email: douanes.nc@offratel.nc

Business Directories – www.annuaires.net 
Kaori - www.kaori.nc – (New Caledonia local portal)

Service providers:

Financial

Banque Caledonienne d'Investissement – www.bci.nc
Societe Generale – http://groupe.socgen.com/sgcb

KPMG Peat Marwick
Email: info@kpmg.nc

PricewaterhouseCoopers
Email: pwc.audit@offratel.nc

@com Audit Pacifique-Cofigex – (Local representative for Ernst & Young)
Email: audit@acomaudit.com

Legal

Societe Professionnelle d'Avocats Louzier-Roger-Fauche
Email: avocats.lrf@mls.nc

SELARL d'Avocats POC et Associes
Email: pocnc@lagoon.nc

SELARL de Greslan-Briant
Email: acocadgb@canl.nc

Juriscal - Juriscal works with PricewaterhouseCoopers
Email: juris@offratel.nc

Internet service providers

CANL - www.canl.nc
Micro Logic System - www.mls.nc
Offratel - www.offratel.nc

Media

Les Nouvelles Caledoniennes - www.lnc.nc (the only daily newspaper published in New Caledonia)

Australian resources

Australian Consulate General
7^th Floor, 19-21 Avenue Foch, City Centre
PO Box 22
98 845 Noumea
New Caledonia
Tel: (687) 272 414
Fax: (687) 278 001

Contact details

The Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) is the Australian Government’s trade and investment development agency, operating as a statutory agency within the Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio.

Austrade assists Australian businesses contribute to national prosperity by succeeding in trade and investment, internationally, and promoting and supporting productive foreign investment into Australia.

Austrade:

• Delivers services that assist Australian businesses initiate, sustain and grow trade and outward investment.
• Promotes Australia as an inward investment destination and, with the States and Territories, supports the inflow of productive foreign direct investment.
• Administers the Export Market Development Grants scheme.
• Undertakes initiatives designed to improve community awareness of, and commitment to, international trade and investment.
• Provides advice to the Australian Government on its trade and investment development activities.
• Delivers consular, passport and other government services in designated overseas locations.

A list of Austrade offices (in alphabetical order of country) is available.

More information

For further information please contact Austrade on 13 28 78 or email info@austrade.gov.au

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