Trade mission to New Zealand anticipates new buyers

Trade mission to New Zealand anticipates new buyers

22 April 2015

Suva, Fiji – A number of Pacific Island exporters from across the region will have an opportunity to find new distributors in New Zealand through a trade mission in July, jointly coordinated by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and Pacific Islands Trade and Invest (PT&I).

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by SPC’s Suva Regional Office – Chief of Staff, Ms. Patricia Sachs-Cornish and PT&I Auckland’s Trade Commissioner, Mr. Michael Greenslade will cement arrangements between the two organisations. The aim of the trade mission is to increase the participants’ export sales in the New Zealand market.

“We are very thankful to Pacific Island Trade and Invest Auckland for partnering with us in helping these enterprises tap into markets that they would otherwise not have had access to, if it wasn’t for platforms like these,” said Ms. Sachs-Cornish.

The Increasing Agricultural Commodity Trade (IACT) project at SPC has initiated the mission for the selected enterprises. This project is sponsored by the European Union, an organisation which is committed to strengthening the export capacity of Pacific Island countries in the primary industries of agriculture, forestry and aquaculture. The project is implemented by the Land Resources Division of SPC.

Speaking at the MOU signing Mr. Greenslade said he had high hopes for the enterprises and was looking forward to introducing them to some of Auckland’s high profile Pacific chefs. These chefs will show the enterprises how their products can be used in restaurant dishes and what is required to be successful in supplying the hospitality market.

PT&I promotes Pacific Island products to international buyers and they will provide their resources in the Auckland office as their contribution to the mission, which includes planning of the programme, market research, event management, appointment scheduling and follow up.

SPC has selected the enterprises for the mission based on their level of existing exports, and their capacity to supply further customers in New Zealand. SPC will ensure that all the appropriate information is provided to PT&I, and that the exporters are fully prepared for their New Zealand meetings. The exporters will be promoting products such as virgin coconut oil, fruit, vegetables, spices, and coffee, and they will represent some of the biggest Pacific Island exporting countries (Fiji, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Samoa). A list of confirmed exporters will be available by 30th April.

ENDS

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