MPI’s Diana Reaich: Building global trade relationships
Relationships are key to opening new trading opportunities and dealing with some of the rules that countries impose that impede the free flow of trade.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s visit to New Zealand sparked a flurry of activity last week.
Of special interest was the news that a quantity of chilled meat will now be allowed into China on a six month trial basis — seen as a great step forward for our meat producers.
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Trade Minister Todd McClay say it’s a win for exporters.
China is NZ’s second-largest market for beef and sheepmeat exports. Meat Industry Association (MIA) chief executive Tim Ritchie says China accounts for 35% of the volume of NZ’s sheepmeat and 17% of its beef exports.
“This latest deal will give NZ’s higher value chilled meat a foot in the door of China’s premium retail and foodservice sectors, as enjoyed by Australia since it signed its FTA with China in December 2015,” Ritchie says. “The onus will now be on the NZ industry to perform in a way that enables the rollout to occur at the end of our trial.”
Also, Prime Minister Bill English and Premier Li announced plans to upgrade the FTA between China and NZ.
Relationships are key to opening new trading opportunities and dealing with some of the rules that countries impose that impede the free flow of trade.
Dawn Meats chief executive Niall Browne says their joint venture with Alliance Group will create “a dynamic industry competitor”.
Tributes have flowed following the death of former Prime Minister and political and business leader, Jim Bolger. He was 90.
A drop in methane targets announced by the Government this month has pleased farmers but there are concerns that without cross-party support, the targets would change once a Labour-led Government is voted into office.
Farmer shareholders of meat processor Alliance have voted in favour of a proposed $270 million joint venture investment by Irish company, Dawn Meats.
The former chair of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and farmer, Doug Leeder, says rural communities' biggest fear right now is the lack of long-term certainty over environmental regulations.
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