Forum traders told

to “get in now”

South Pacific Trade Commmissioner, Bill McCabe, has advised any South Pacific island manufacturer who seeks markets in Australia, New Zealand or third countries under new arrangements now being worked out among governments to contact his office in Sydney “right now.”

Despite heavy concentration among the political leaders at the South Pacific Forum meeting on issues like the nuclearfree zone, a good deal of constructive work was done on trying to advance trading prosjects for the small island nations. Substantial agreement was reached on steps which should be taken to improve access still further from Forum Island country manufacturers to the markets of Australia and New Zealand.

One of the decisions taken at the pre-Forum meeting of the committee of the South Pacific Bureau for Economic Cooperation was to extend the quota for access of clothing to the Australian market for 1985. Officials recognised that more positive action was needed to enable manufacturers to gain access to the broader market.

“One of the most significant steps taken, ” said Mr McCabe, was to, first, make a review of

the industries in the Forum Island countries which manu facture clothing and then hold a meeting in Sydney of a manu facturers’ representative, and a government ‘official from each country, with representatives of Australia, to review the market in Australia and devise the best approach to improving sales.

The third phase will involve us in the Trade Commission work ing with each manufacturer as he sells. ’’The importance of this is that it could give us a blueprint for the marketing of all pro ducts. I would hope that in six months from now we will be able to discuss some results, and also, perhaps, talk about its applicability to the marketing of food stuffs, processed foods and other products from the region.”

The Trade Commission this year started to operate retail selling promotions where pro ducts are sold from promotions and exhibitions directly to con sumers. One was run in September for Vanuatu and another in October, at the In doorapilly shopping centre, Brisbane, for the Solomons.

Fiji had a marketing mission to New Zealand in October in which about ten firms took part.

New Zealand also offered

assistance to food processors in three island countries by show ing them aspects of N.Z. food production with the aim of improving their quality control and productivity, both vital to successful marketing.