increase font size
Britain’s High Commissioner to NZ Iona Thomas.
Britain's High Commissioner to NZ Iona Thomas says there’s a heightened awareness by UK consumers about the food they buy.
Her comments come as the UK moves towards ratifying the FTA reached last year. NZ has already ratified the deal.
Thomas says with the tight global economic situation, consumers are becoming more conscious about the choices they make and are looking for value for money among other things.
“Increasingly we see people wanting to identify with brand value and understand the story behind different brands,” she told Rural News.
“So, food provenance is a big issue and I think that producers need to be able to tell the whole story about what underpins their products.”
Thomas says the UK is a very large market for NZ and one with very engaged consumers who are really interested in buying food products.
“We know that NZ farmers produce very high value products and this resonates quite well with consumers,” she explains. “The UK will provide great opportunities for a range of primary industry and horticulture products.”
Thomas took up the role of UK High Commissioner to NZ towards the end of last year, after the FTA was already completed. She says the arrangement is a great opportunity for farmers and businesses both in the UK and NZ to do business more easily and more cheaply.
She believes there is broad support for the FTA in the UK, although it’s understood that the UK farmers’ lobby is still unhappy, as they have always been when a deal with NZ has been struck.
Thomas says while the FTA opens up opportunities for NZ primary producers, the UK is looking to increase its exports of cars, machinery and consumer goods. A key point of the FTA, from a UK perspective, is the right for that country to expand in the services area such as legal and financial.
One particular aspect of the FTA was the inclusion of a ‘Māori chapter’.
“This is ground-breaking and there is real opportunity to use that to talk about Māori business opportunities in the UK,” Iona claims. “This is an area we are really excited about.”
As well as the signing of the FTA, Thomas points to another signing that took place earlier last year – a memorandum of understanding on research, science and innovations.
She hopes this will lead to greater collaboration between the two nations in this space. She notes that at last year’s Fieldays, there was group from the UK who were looking to explore opportunities in the agritech area.
Did you know that nearly 90% of total New Zealand wine sales occur offshore? That simple number means our wine businesses are the most export oriented of all the global wine industries. It also makes our sector especially sensitive to any changes in the trade rules that govern the access of our wines into international markets.
Meat Industry Association chief executive Sirma Karapeeva says the outlook for beef in the US is expected to hold up for several years as that country continues to liquidate its herd due to drought.
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says the United Kingdom’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is great news for the region and New Zealand.
The executive director of Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand (DCANZ) says her organisation supports ongoing efforts from the NZ Government to bring down trade barriers to ensure a diversity of trade opportunities for New Zealand exporters.
The Government says that, from today, New Zealand businesses will start reaping the benefits of the country's free trade agreement with the United Kingdom.
Next month, the Beef Breeder Forum is set to give farmers an opportunity to hear about the latest developments in the beef industry.
ACC and Safer Farms have announced a new partnership in an effort to reduce harm, injuries, and fatalities in agriculture.
A Franklin dairy farmer has inched closer to national victory after being crowned Northland’s top young farmer.
Dairy and beef farmers could be eligible for lower interest lending options for financing Halter on their farms, with ANZ, ASB and BNZ now offering a pathway to sustainability loans for New Zealand’s largest virtual fencing provider.
OPINION: Will the latest science reforms make the difference that the government hopes?
Increased farmer spending on genetics and animal health has boosted LIC’s half-year profit.
OPINION: Back in the 1960s and '70s, and even into the '80s, successive National government Agriculture Ministers and Trade Ministers…
OPINION: The new Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche has just had the hallelujah moment of the 21st century in…
