7 Jul 2015

Samoa exporters hope to grow trade, but stay sustainable

5:39 am on 7 July 2015

A Samoa business development NGO says it aims to grow its export market in New Zealand, while continuing to focus on sustainability.

Banana

Banana Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson

Samoa Women in Business Development is one of seven exporters from the Pacific currently in New Zealand on a Pacific Trade Mission.

Its media specialist, Faumuina Felolini Tafunai, says she is hoping to gain knowledge on what the New Zealand market needs, and how their products should look.

She says they are looking for buyers for their dried banana, coconut oil and koko Samoa products, who share the same beliefs in areas like sustainability.

"Anything that we're doing with the farmers, we want it to be sustainable. We want to be able to compete within the market place but bring all of that, once we cover costs, we want to bring all of that money back into the farms, into the rural areas."

Faumuina Felolini Tafunai says the organisation is aiming to become self-sustainable within the next two to three years.