11 Mar 2003

New Zealand trade delegation ends visits to four Pacific countries

11:36 am on 11 March 2003

A New Zealand trade delegation returns to Auckland today after visiting four Pacific markets in just over a week in a bid to boost trade.

The delegation was led by the trade negotiations minister, Jim Sutton, and visited French Polynesia, Samoa, American Samoa and New Caledonia.

The Pacific Islands market is worth about one billion New Zealand dollars in export revenue with French Polynesia New Zealand's fastest-growing market.

The official leader of the business delegation, Gilbert Ullrich, says new links have been forged during what he described as one of the best trade missions he has ever been part of.