27 Feb 2015

New plan for American Samoa food imports needed

12:20 pm on 27 February 2015

American Samoa's Chamber of Commerce has called on the government to come up with a plan to address food import issues.

A labour dispute at ports on the West Coast of the United States has meant some delays in goods reaching American Samoa.

The Chamber's chairman, David Robinson, says food shortages highlighted the territory's dependence on imports, and he would like to see the issue of import substitution addressed by the government.

He says the recently released Economic Development Implementation Plan provides a blueprint for future development projects, including how agricultural production could be expanded.

He says a plan could be formed to boost agriculture development through local and international investment, thus reducing dependence on imported food.