NZ avocado growers gain FernMark export licence
New Zealand avocado growers have received a major boost by securing a collective FernMark Licence for their exports.
OPINION: The dairy industry will be a major beneficiary of a new free trade deal between NZ and the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC).
The council, comprising some of the world's wealthiest countries - Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE - already buy $1.8 billion worth of NZ dairy products. This makes the GCC region our second-largest dairy market after China. New Zealand and GCC trade is worth over $3 billion annually, with New Zealand exporting $2.6 billion in the year to June 2024.
The New Zealand Government - in particular Trade Minister Todd McClay - deserves a pat on the back for this achievement. Previous NZ governments must also be acknowledged for laying the foundation for the trade deal. It delivers on an 18 year-long ambition for New Zealand to bag this high-quality trade deal in the Middle East.
This is the highest quality deal the GCC has done to date and its first with a major agricultural exporter. It delivers duty-free access for 99% of New Zealand's exports over 10 years and when combined with our recently concluded NZ-UAE CEPA, 51% of our exports to the region will be tariff-free from day one.
Dairy processors welcome this deal along with the other recent deal between NZ and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Locking in elimination of the already low tariffs on key dairy products into this highly valuable market provides important commercial certainty for dairy exporters, according to the Dairy Companies Association of NZ (DCANZ).
It wants the Government to maintain momentum and ambition to bring down barriers with other negotiating partners, including upgrading existing trade agreements that have not yet secured dairy tariff elimination. This will ensure continuing high quality and high value markets for our world-class dairy products.
Fonterra chair Peter McBride expects a strong mandate from farmers shareholders for the proposed sale of its consumer and related businesses to Lactalis for $3.8 billion.
Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell says the sale of the co-op’s consumer and associated businesses to Lactalis represents a great outcome for the co-op.
The world’s largest milk company Lactalis has won the bid for Fonterra’s global consumer and associated businesses.
Fonterra has increased its 2024/25 forecast Farmgate Milk Price from $10/kgMS to $10.15/kgMS.
It took a stint at university to remind Otago dairy farmer Megan Morrison that being stuck in a classroom was not for her.
Farmer lobby group Federated Farmers has announced it is supporting a new Member’s Bill which it says could bring clarity to New Zealand farmers and save millions in legal costs.
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