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The U.S. government is expected to file a new World Trade Organization case against the European Union in a dispute over EU

tariffs on computer monitors and other technology products, congressional aides said Tuesday. The aides, who spoke on the

condition that they’re not identified, said they expected U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab to announce the action in a

press conference she has scheduled for Wednesday morning. Schwab's office issued a "media advisory" Tuesday saying Schwab

would make an announcement regarding the European Union and the WTO's Information Technology Agreement. However, a spokesman

for the U.S. Trade Representative's office would not comment on whether Schwab would be announcing litigation Wednesday.

Schwab has warned the United States was considering a WTO case against the EU because of tariffs ranging up to 14 percent

that Brussels imposes on LCD monitors larger than 19 inches in size, set-top boxes and multi-function printers. The United

States has tried unsuccessfully to persuade the EU that those products should receive duty-free treatment under the

Information Technology Agreement, which eliminated tariffs on a broad range of technology goods. "We're kind of burned out on

the jaw-boning side of the equation. It's not working," said Schwab said at Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in

January. "We are looking at going to resolution on the ITA with the World Trade Organization," Schwab said then.

Cassava Flour FLOUR made from sweet potato and cassava may soon be an option for consumers affected by huge price increases

over the past year. The Trinidad and Tobago Agri-Business Association (TTABA) has been producing cassava flour and has begun

to experiment with the manufacture of flour from sweet potato. TTABA Chief Executive Officer Vassel Stuart said that sweet

potato flour held great promise. He said that cassava flour will reach the grocery shelves by the end of the year and that

farmers contracted to grow it had started harvesting the crop. "The ability of farmers to produce cassava on a large scale

will determine the success of the product," he said, adding that cassava flour was a healthier choice for consumers.

According to Stuart, "adding cassava flour to wheat flour will enhance flavour and enrich food prepared at homes and

restaurants". He said the association has been waiting for produce from contract farmers to increase production of cassava

flour and that research into sweet potato flour was continuing at TTABA laboratories. The state-owned company set up by

government to upgrade and expand the agricultural sector has been registering farmers in Central for contract farming. "We

are on the verge of signing contracts to grow sweet potato on over 500,000 acres of land," he said. He said that private

farmers had shown a readiness to get into contract farming and the price offered for sweet potato at $1.30 a pound had been

increased to $1.90 a pound. He said that sweet potato chips had already become a success and cassava flour would be a healthy

option for consumers. President of the Central Farmers Association and the Cunupia Farmers Cooperative Society, Anil

Deonarine, said that farmers began cultivation of sweet potato and would be signing contracts with TTABA which would purchase

all the harvest at a fixed price. He pointed out that Central farmers had been studying market trends and had been planting

crops in such a way that the market would not be flooded. "Tomatoes sold at $4 in the retail market would only put $2 a pound

in the farmers' pockets, it cannot pay us," he said adding that the cost of production was too high. Deonarine pointed out

that there were as many as 20,000 farmers in the country and very often the market becomes flooded with certain crops.

"Contract farming is the best solution," he said adding that guaranteed price for sweet potato would enable farmers to invest

in the crop and ensure bumper harvests.

PVC Hose The Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) has asked the State Bank of Viet Nam to provide

loans in foreign currency to seafood exporters according to Tran Thien Hai, chairman of VASEP. Under Decision 09/2008/QD-

NHNN, the State bank does not provide any loans for such exporters. Interest rates on loans in Vietnamese dong are 19 per

cent a year while the rates on foreign currency are 6.5-7 per cent a year. Twin electronics expos to be held in HCM City HCM

CITY — The 12th International Exhibition in Viet Nam for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Vietnam Telecomp

2008) and the International Exhibition in Viet Nam for Electronics Products 2008 (Vietnam Electronics 2008) will be held in

tandem from November 26-29 at the HCM City International Exhibition and Convention Centre (HIECC). The twin expo is expected

to occupy an exhibition area of over 6,000sq.m, with 178 exhibitors from 17 countries and territories participating. Featured

products likely to catch the industry’s attention include third-generation networking (3G), satellite technology, electronic

components and accessories, and home entertainment and appliances. SaraWindow launches new products BAC NINH — The

SaraWindow factory located in the Tien Son Industrial Zone, in the northern province of Bac Ninh, has officially launched a

new line products made of u-PVC, a type of plastic incorporating a steel core, produced to meet the quality-control standards

of European technology. SaraWindow produces doors and windows. SaraWindow operates two other factories in Viet Nam, one in

the Nam Cam and the other in the My Phuoc 5 Industrial Zone, which are situated in the central province of Nghe An and the

southern province of Binh Duong, respectively. These factories represent a combined capital of US$20 million. Each factory

occupies a 30,000sq.m site and has an annual production capacity of 130,000 units. Builder/developer expects sharp rise in

2008 profits HCM CITY — The Lu Gia Mechanical Electric Company planned to earn a net revenue of VND120 billion (US$7.5

million) this year, a year-on-year increase of 56.4 per cent, resulting in an after-tax profit of VND30 billion and allowing

a dividend payment ratio of 17 per cent. The company plans to raise its charter capital to VND80 billion from VND30 billion

by issuing an additional 5 million shares. The Lu Gia Company will sell 4.5 million of those shares to existing shareholders

at a ratio of 1:1.5, 150,000 to its staff and the rest to strategic partners, all at the same price of VND15,000 per share.

The total capital after issuance will be invested into a Lu Gia apartment-building development project. Gemadept puts

$18.7million into new subsidiary HCM CITY — The HCM City Department of Investment and Planning granted a licence to develop

the Sai Gon Commodity and Service Joint Stock Co (SCSC) with an initial charter capital of VND300 billion (US$18.7 million).

The company, founded by Gemadept Joint Stock Company with a capital contribution ratio of 23 per cent, will trade in a range

of commodites, including oil and gas, transport, and real estate.