Fiji produces more

Trade Winds

FIJI’S industrial production has

taken a leap forward. Statistics re leased recently show that output rose 8.6 per cent in the June quarter over the previous three months, and was 12 per cent up on the same period the year before. Cement output rose the greatest 56 per cent.

Meanwhile, the Fiji Trade and Invest ment Board has announced that 10 more Australian companies plan to transfer their operations to Fiji, with the investment totalling about Fs2o million and representing about 1000 new jobs.

The board recently sent a delegation to Sydney and the decision by the com panies is a result of that. While in Au stralia, the Fiji delegation met with about 30 businessmen covering the manufac ture of footwear, garments, leather bags, electrical items, boat building, agricultu ral machinery, furniture, seafood proces

sing and mineral development.

The Trade and Investment Board said that so far 71 factories had been set up in Fiji under the tax-free incentive pack age. These plants employed 6500 peo

pie, although this will rise to about 10,000 when the factories reach full pro duction.

Up to the end of August, 160 com panies had received approval under the tax free zone legislation and would, when they are all completed, mean an investment in Fiji of F|97 million.

Board chairman, Professor Asesela Ravuvu, said it was critical for Fiji to build a vibrant and diversified export market. And the government had been protecting local businesses in order to encourage more industrial output as part of the policy of import substitution.

The last year has seen Fiji trade mis sions spread out over the Pacific and Professor Ravuvu said more companies should take advantage of missions which are now being planned. A 10-member mission visited Marshall Islands and Kiri bati in early October to promote a range of industrial products. The mission aims to take advantage of the recently intro duced Forum Line service to the Mar shall Islands. □