Editorial: Passage to India
OPINION: Even before the National-led coalition came into power, India was very much at the fore of its trade agenda.
Dairy industry representatives are joining Primary Industries Minister David Carter as he visits India to promote trade relations.
"India is a rapidly rising player in the Asia-Pacific region and New Zealand is keen to develop stronger economic and agricultural ties," Carter says. The Minister will also travel to Indonesia and Sri Lanka.
In India, Carter will hold discussions with the Agriculture and Trade Ministers and hold a series of primary industry meetings. He will also be joined by leading representatives of New Zealand's dairy, meat, horticulture and agri-tech sectors.
"These meetings further strengthen the New Zealand-India bilateral relationship and give our two countries the opportunity to canvass a range of primary industries issues," says Carter.
"India is one of our top trade negotiating priorities. A successful Free Trade Agreement will help expand businesses and create jobs."
During the Minister's visit to Indonesia, he will open the inaugural Joint Working Group on Agriculture in Jakarta and hold a series of trade and agriculture meetings.
"Indonesia is our 10th-largest export market, but there is a lot of room to expand this trade and to further develop the relationship between our two countries."
Trade and agricultural opportunities will also be top of the agenda during Carter's visit to Sri Lanka.
The minister left this morning.
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford is claiming “some real success” on the 12 policy priorities it placed before the Coalition Government.
Federated Farmers is throwing its support behind the Fast-track Approvals Bill introduced by the Coalition Government to enable a fast-track decision-making process for infrastructure and development projects.
The latest report from ANZ isn’t good news for sheep farmers: lamb returns are forecast to remain low.
Divine table grapes that herald the start of a brand-new industry in Hawke’s Bay have been coming off vines in Maraekakaho.
In what appears to be a casualty of the downturn in the agricultural sector, a well-known machinery brand is now in the hands of liquidators and owing creditors $6.6 million.
One of New Zealand’s deepest breeder Jersey herds – known for its enduring connection through cattle with the UK’s longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II – will host its 75th anniversary celebration sale on-farm on April 22.