preserve”-Trade man
p. 55 · Read in the full issue
“PNG market no Aussie preserve”-Trade man
Australian exporters must recognise that Papua New Guinea is no longer an extension of the Australian market but is an individual market with its own problems and prospects, warns Mr R. J.
Barcham. Australian trade commissioner in Port Moresby. in a recent issue of the Australian government publication Overseas Trading.
Mr Barcham noted: "In the year ended June 1960.
Australia supplied 63*7 of PNG's total imports. By 1973-74. our share of the market had fallen to 52*7 and. according to the latest figures available, which are for the seven months ended February 1 977. our share had further declined to 50*7 .”
Mr Barcham pointed out that in 1974-75. major suppliers of PNG imports, apart trom Australia, were Japan (1 srr5 r r ). USA (8 ( ( ). Singapore (B*7 ). and Britain (4*7 ).
He also pointed to dramatic changes in the expatriate market in PNG. and to changes in the character of PNG's national population, which affected Australia's export prospects.
He wrote: "During the period October 197 1 to mid-1976 the expatriate population fell from 53 000 to 35 000. The final level of expatriates is difficult to assess and will be influenced by the
number of large developmen tal projects which are planned for the future, “Another significant factor is the changes occurring in the nationality of expatriates, “Whereas in 1971 there were 30 000 Austral ians. 9 000 Europeans. 7 000 Chinese and mixed races. there are now fewer than 15 (X)0 Australians and possi bly 6 000 Filipinos. This is ex pected to increase the demand for non-Australian products.
“The nature of the national population is also changing, “In 1973 it was estimated that there were 2.6 million Papua New Guineans of whom roughly 20*7 were part of the cash economy. In June 1976. estimates pul the total popula tion at near 2.8 million with 28*7 in the cash economy, “Government policies, aim ed at increasing opportunities for urban Papua New Gui neans in a broad range of positions in government and commerce, have led to the creation of a new 'middle class' consumer group in the urban centres. This group has. to a large extent, offset the decline in consumer ex pendilure brought about by the reduction of the expatriate population since 1971.
"In the future this group will constitute the major growth sector of the market for consumer goods.”