badly wants

W. Samoa badly wants exports

R. F. RANKIN, in Apia, reports:

Like other developing countries, Western Samoa wants to cut down imports and increase exports.

A dozen or more enterprises have been established around Apia since the passing by Parliament of the Enterprises Incentives Act two years ago. New industries approved under the Act have a five-year taxation exemption and they are allowed duty-free imports of raw materials.

Some of these industries are actively seeking export outlets for their products. These include tropical canned food products, men’s shirts, and ladies’ dresses all of which can be supplied at very competitive prices and are quality products, often pe culiar to the island.

Sales efforts to date on the whole have not got particularly good results.

“All I seem to do is provide over seas buyers with free samples and that’s the last I hear of them,” said one disgruntled garment manufac turer. “I could easily produce 10 times what I am producing at present but the local market is far too small. We have to find an ex port market somewhere.”

However, our exports of native handicrafts are showing quite specta cular increases. With sales stimulated by the Handicrafts Corporation, Samoan basketware, table mats, and carvings are going to New Zealand, Australia and the US in ever increas ing quantities. TTie Handicrafts Cor poration last year exported more than $30,000 of handicrafts.

World's worst

Apia business men have some harsh things to say about exporters in other countries—particularly New Zealand which they claim is the world’s worst country for delays, non-confirmation, non-arrival of ship ping papers and just general in efficiency.

Some English firms are said to be as bad; the US, importers claim, is not a paragon of efficiency, and Aus tralia and Japan are generally satis factory although shipping from Australia inhibits the expansion of trade with this country.