PM: Samoa did not ban turkey tails

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PM: Samoa did not ban turkey tails

Tags: WTO Posted date: December 19, 2011 | No comment

By Tupuola Terry Tavita

Responding to Samoa’s accession to the World Trade Organisation and a new trade agreement on the import of turkey tails, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said Samoa never banned the bird body part.

“We simply said, the turkey should bring its own tail to Samoa. It’s no good somebody else chowing the turkey and then send the tail to Samoa. We too know how to eat turkey.”

This is another good reason to join the WTO, said the Prime Minister, as Samoa will then have access to prime meat cuts, including the whole turkey.

Under the new deal, the turkey tail will be slapped with a 300 percent import tariff.

“By the time it is sold at the shop, it will be more expensive than steak.”

Government – three year ago – stopped the import of boxes of just turkey tails following advice from Health that the by-product contained zero nutrition value and contributed to cardiac and lifestyle illness such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

Renegotiating the turkey tail trade, Tuilaepa said, is a small price for Samoa’s accession to the WTO.

“The benefits to Samoa with joining this organization are enormous. We will then be able to have a say, to determine, our trade direction.Our people will have access to wider range of quality products at affordable prices.”

The Prime Minister also elaborated n recent anti-dumping laws enacted by Parliament.

“We are quite aware of the devious business practice by some overseas companies of dumping cheap products in another country to undercut local business.

“The anti-dumping laws clearly spell out that the cost of producing a product overseas will determine the price it is sold at locally.”

Tuilaepa said he first indicated to the WTO in July 1997 that Samoa wishes to join the organization.

“Initially I thought it would be a swift process. Instead, it took us fourteen years to achieve WTO accession. We had to sit down with every WTO member country and negotiate mutual trade conditions that are favourable to both parties. It’s been a lengthy time-consuming process.”