The Press TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 1966. Selling To South-east Asia

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31027, 5 April 1966, Page 16

The Press TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 1966. Selling To South-east Asia

New Zealand's second trade mission to South-east Asia, travelling tomorrow aboard Air New Zealand’s inaugural flight in its Singapore service, will attempt to enlarge the Dominion's exports to countries in and around the Pacific basin. These countries, including Australia, already buy nearly 90 per cent of our manufactured exports. Last year these sales were worth nearly £l5 million. Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Hong Kong, which the 20 members of the mission will visit, offer trade prospects and also 'formidable challenges for new and expanding exporters. Singapore and Malaysia, by far the largest importers of New Zealand manufactured and processed exports since oil products were added to the list, have suffered economically from Indonesia's .confrontation policy. Malayan rubber faces both the growing threat of synthetic substitutes and the cutprice sales of Indonesian rubber. Singapore and Malaysia are both trying to expand their own local manufacturing industries, and Malaysia, in particular, with a high expenditure on defence, has lately been trying to hold down the level of imports. Thailand ,is one of the most stable economies in South-east Asia. It is also one of the most competitive. Japan has a powerful grip on the Thai market and New -Zealand exporters are handicapped by the lack of direct shipping. Hong Kong, like Singapore, is building up local industry to support a crowded population. It is one of the East’s highly competitive markets but one which holds opportunities for joint manufacturing schemes which share overseas capital and use imported materials.

These markets were surveyed by the first trade mission from New Zealand to the area in 1964. In spite of the obvious difficulties, this year’s mission enters these countries with confidence. The first mission was sponsored by the Government. The second was arranged on the initiative of the Export Action Group of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation, although it will enjoy the specialist services of the Department of Industries and Commerce and the Tourist and Publicity Department. Other missions abroad have proved that concerted efforts at salesmanship can make a greater impact than individual tours and make better use both of the New Zealand Government’s export promotion services and the interest of overseas business organisations. Canterbury manufacturers are playing a large part in the mission. The enterprise of the federation and of individual members of the mission deserves to be rewarded by commercial returns that will also benefit the Dominion.