Vanuatu-Made Tuna Product Raises Questions After Discovery in Port Vila Shop

A tin of canned tuna labeled under Sino-Van Fisheries Limited has been discovered on sale in a Port Vila shop this week, creating excitement among those eager for a locally produced tuna product. However, questions remain over its production origins and process.

Local entrepreneur Milroy Cainton, who found the tomato-flavored product selling for VT90, described its taste as similar to duck.

“People have heard about Sino-Van’s tuna factory in Vanuatu. I found this tin, small enough to hold in one hand, just like a small Solomon Islands tuna tin, enough for one person,” Cainton explained.

The label states that Sino-Van Fisheries Limited, based in Salili, Vanuatu, produces the product, but notes its origin as the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The tin, weighing 85 grams with 60% fish content, lists ingredients including tuna, water, ketchup, tomato, sugar, vegetable oil, spices, vinegar, salt, and starch monosodium.

Featuring Chinese labeling and an easy-open pull tab, the tin is convenient for quick meals.

“It tastes like duck, very oily but good for lunch, especially cooked with cabbage,” Cainton shared.

He showcased both the spicy variant in a red tin and the tomato sauce version in a blue tin, noting that the spicy variant contains chili and whiter fish, indicating attention to quality by the manufacturer. Despite trying both, Cainton prefers the tomato flavor and encouraged others to try it themselves.

“Finally, we have two products here. The fish is caught in Vanuatu waters, manufactured in China, and shipped back to Vanuatu,” he said.

Cainton highlighted the potential for local job creation if a tuna cannery were fully operational in Vanuatu, reducing the need to send workers overseas and diversifying the economy.

When asked where the tin was purchased, Cainton disclosed the shop, but a follow-up visit by the Vanuatu Daily Post found the product was no longer available on the shelves.

The Daily Post has reached out to Sino-Van Fisheries Limited for clarification on the product’s production process but has not yet received a response.

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Disclaimer: This article is a rewrite from the Vanuatu Daily Post for educational, archival, and non-commercial purposes. Full credit to the original publication and journalist Doddy Morris. Please contact us if you require changes or removal.