Boom In N.Z. Exports To The Pacific Islands

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31762, 20 August 1968, Page 1

Boom In N.Z. Exports To The Pacific Islands

(New Zealand Press Association)

The first full-time Government Trade Commissioner for the Pacific (Mr G. M. McLaren) believes there are excellent prospects for further increases.

New Zealand at present supplies a 10 per cent share of the goods worth s7om which Fiji, Tonga, Western Samoa, and American Samoa between them import each year.

Mr McLaren, who is just back from a five-week exploratory visit to these mar-

kets, said in Auckland today that New Zealand exporters had never been in a more favourable position for selling to the islands. “Fijian imports from New Zealand in the first quarter of this year jumped by more than 40 per cent, compared with the same quarter in 1967,” he said.

Tonga imported 35 per cent more from New Zealand last year than in 1966 and imports by American Samoa rose by 30 per cent for the same period. These areas have long been a happy hunting ground for Australian salesmen, but, Mr McLaren said, buyers there were now turning their at-

tention much more to New Zealand.

“In manufactured goods we are now starting to take business away from the Australians,” said Mr McLaren. Biscuits, confectionery and carpets were examples. Other new exports, or exports which had previously only trickled on to Pacific markets, included hops, beer

AUCKLAND, August 19. New Zealand exports to the Pacific I stands are booming as a result of devaluation.

bottles, flower and vegetable seeds, deep-freeze units and refrigerators, glassware, reinforcing steel, men’s shirts, costume jewellery, and electrical equipment. “There are really good prospects for a wide range of building materials, particularly in view of development works now going ahead in Fiji, Tonga and American Samoa.”

But importers lacked sufficient detailed information on the availability of manufactured goods. “Devaluation has placed New Zealand in a favourable position,” he said. “But although we are at present gaining considerable ground, importers in all territories are extremely price conscious.

“Any upward movement in prices could be sufficient to stem the present strong trend towards buying from New Zealand."