Benefits of EU trade deal
The European Union Ambassador says the new free trade agreement (FTA) between the bloc and New Zealand will bring significant benefits to both parties.
The New Zealand onion industry has welcomed the recent signing of the free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU).
It says the agreement will see the elimination of tariffs worth over $6 million annually on NZ onion exports to the EU and has also addressed technical barriers to trade.
"The EU is the number one market for New Zealand onion exports. Tariff savings of 9.6% puts the New Zealand onion industry on a level footing with competitors such as Chile and South Africa," Onions New Zealand chief executive, James Kuperus says.
He thanked the officials in New Zealand and the EU for supporting export industries like onions, which play a key role in regional economies across New Zealand.
Kuperus says onion growers from South Auckland to Canterbury will benefit from this FTA.
"It is now important that the New Zealand Government, post-election, passes the necessary legislation to bring this FTA into effect so producers and exporters can make use of it next season."
Kuperus says the agreement is even more important given the extremely difficult season onion producers have had in the North Island.
In the year to March 2023, the New Zealand onion industry exported $143 million worth of onions to 45 countries and employed 1,050 people.
China’s Ambassador Wang Xiaolong says bilateral economic and trade cooperation between China and New Zealand has made significant and rapid progress.
South Waikato farm manager Ben Purua’s amazing transformation from gang life to milking cows was rewarded with the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer award last night.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.