Samoa Association of Manufacturers and Exporters (SAME) is targeting an increase in the export of Samoan products by 2020.
Since 2014, Samoa’s recorded profit for exports in general was about $27m tala.
SAME and the Government of Samoa are aiming to increase that to $100m tala in three years.
“The goal for our export plans with the Government is to at least reach three times the exports we have now by 2020. So the certification of six new local companies in Samoa is a great sign that we can achieve this goal,” said SAME President Tagaloa Eddie Wilson.
“The certifications are through the assistance of the Australian Government and the New Zealand Government and we originally started with 15 companies and we got six getting certified now and the other nine are still going through the process,” said Tagaloa.
SAME’s collaboration with the New Zealand and Australian governments follows a long term goal to ensure Samoan quality made products reach outside markets that demand them and to be able to meet international standard demands and quality.
Tagaloa said the export plan is focused mostly on local agriculture.
“This is our plan as a country, which includes our farmers, our store owners, customers and business owners along with SAME and the Government, So it’s not just SAME’s project, its Samoa’s project as a whole,” he said.
For SAME and Samoa, challenges arise in every area.
Funding, is one of the biggest obstacles.
“SAME’s biggest challenge is not being able to meet demands for agriculture demands. So our job is to enhance and increase investments into agriculture. For our export programs, our farmers and agriculture sector are looking at $30m tala for a course of four years in investments,” said Tagaloa.
“Which means we need to get more money to invest and help fund our exports programs and the Government has been looking deep into helping that,” said Tagaloa.