New Zealand's looking

for a bigger two - way trade flow

New Zealand looks to the Pacific Islands, especially its nearest South Pacific neighbours, as an area offer ing continuing prospects for trade expansion.

Recent export/import statistics support this view.

Exports from New Zealand, both of primary products and manufac tured goods, have shown a steady increase over the years, and although the balance of trade continues to be in New Zealand’s favour, there has been a significant increase in the value of purchases from the Islands which in the year ended June, 1975, totalled $NZ36.9 million, compared with SNZI6.7 million in the year mded June, 1974.

Shipping problems are of concern to both New Zealand and other Paci fic nations. But despite this, there las been a considerable growth in trade within the Pacific region.

Fiji is New Zealand’s largest South Pacific market, with exports to the /alue of $NZ20,191,097 (fob) re :orded for the year ended June 1975.

Phis market has shown a steady growth over the years with meat and iairy products, fruit and vegetables, md manufactured goods being the najor purchases.

With current New Zealand efforts o diversify further into the manu acturing sector, Fiji will continue to >e a valuable market for these pro lucts.

Sugar is Fiji’s main export to New Zealand although there has been a teady growth in sales of wood, wood nanufactures, and miscellaneous nanufactured goods including jewel ery handicrafts.

Trade with Papua New Guinea las continued to expand over recent 'ears with New Zealand’s main im >orts from PNG being coffee, tea, lardwoods and veneers. New Zea and purchases of coffee have in reased four-fold between 1970 and 974. As the forestry industry ex >ands, it is likely that NZ importers vill seek to buy increasing quantities )f hardwoods, veneers and other vood products.

New Zealand imports from other

Pacific island groups are mainly fruit and vegetables (including bana nas), oil seeds, nuts and kernels (including desiccated coconut and products) and other primary pro duce, but imports of phosphate from Nauru and Ocean Island in the Gil berts amounting to 5NZ22.4 million in the year ended June 30, 1975, are also important aspects of New Zea land-Pacific trade.

While Fiji has been a target for special trade promotional activities, countries such as Papua New Guinea, Western Samoa, American Samoa, New Caledonia, Tonga, French Polynesia, and the New Hebrides are also valuable export markets.

Meat, dairy products, chemicals and a wide range of manufactured goods have been New Zealand’s chief export earners.

The NZ Government has recently established a Developing Countries Liaison Unit to provide assistance in finding opportunities on the New Zealand market for Pacific exporters and to encourage a greater flow of trade to New Zealand (and indeed third countries) from its Pacific neighbours.

Early 1975 saw a Fiji selling mission visit major New Zealand centres and similar missions are ex pected shortly from other developing countries including Papua New Guinea. These ventures indicate the type of trade assistance through which New Zealand is helping the development of its Pacific trading associates.

A scheme to facilitate the import ation into New Zealand of handi-

In terms of help for the un developed nations, New Zea land is, probably, the most generous country in the world.

Per head of population—and it’s only around three million —New Zealand gives away in aid more money than any other country. In the last 20 years, she has contributed more than $75 million to Asian funds and another $lB million is earmarked for 1975-76. The South Pacific Islands do even better. The beneficiaries could reciprocate by buying New Zealand’s undeniably high class exports. She’s looking for bigger markets in the Pacific.

crafts from the Pacific Islands was established in 1973, It provides for duty-free entry for certified handi crafts from Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Fiji, Western Samoa, the Cook Islands, Niue and the Tokelau Islands.

Last October, the NZ Government instituted a new pricing scheme for Island bananas which will assist both the Island producers and the NZ consumers by encouraging the pro duction of high-quality fruit.

The current world economic situ ation has caused balance of payment problems and depressed primary produce prices for both New Zealand and other Pacific nations. However, the proximity of New Zealand and its Pacific neighbours, a deliberate policy of closer co-operation by the governments, and an awareness by commercial parties of continuing business opportunities available will all ensure that trade between New Zealand and her Pacific partners will continue to grow and prosper in the coming years.