Media release
15 August 2012
Export Strategy A Good Start Says ExportNZ
Executive Director of ExportNZ Catherine Beard says the Government should be congratulated on pulling together all its
plans for the export sector into one document and for setting the country a stretch goal of increasing exports to 40% of
GDP by 2025.
“We get a lot of feedback from exporters saying they would like to know what the plan is and how we are going to get
there. This document is a good summary of all the work that is going on to support the export sector.
“The question will be whether there are enough new ideas that are over and above ‘business as usual’ to help exporters
reach that target.
“The high New Zealand dollar is a challenge for exporters. We hope the Government’s new investment in R & D assistance for industry in the form of the Advanced Technology Institute will help exporters move faster up the value
and innovation ladder. This will insulate them from having to compete on price against lower cost countries.
“Others ideas we think are worth exploring are the development of cluster policies which are common in Europe and around
the world to better leverage the business ecosystem where comparative advantages exist. We are keen on policies that can
help our small to medium sized companies get better leverage in big markets, such as collaborating onshore to compete
offshore.
“The development of our mineral sector could make a big difference to our exports, as could adding water in areas of
high agricultural potential.
“Exporters also tell us they would like more in-market assistance which could be an area of increased investment in
future budget rounds. This could spread the good work that NZTE does to a larger pool of exporters.
“Another area of potential we need to tap into in a smarter way is using our Government procurement spend with local
companies to develop new technologies that have export potential around the world.
“ExportNZ will be releasing its own report soon to flesh out some of these ideas.”
ENDS