Damien O’Connor: NZ united on global trade
When it comes to international trade, politicians from all sides of the aisle are united, says Labour's trade spokesman Damien O'Connor.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is off to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for high-level talks with Emirati leaders.
He will also witness the signing of the New Zealand-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
Negotiations concluded on the free trade agreement in September last year and the deal has been largely welcomed by the agriculture sector.
Currently, two-way trade between New Zealand and the UAE is valued at NZ$1.3 billion. From day one of the agreement, duties will be eliminated on 98.5% of New Zealand’s exports to the UAE.
Luxon says the UAE is a trusted partner for New Zealand.
“I look forward to celebrating the growth in our bilateral relationship, including the signature of our first-class trade deal,” he says.
Luxon says the agreement provides a springboard for New Zealand companies to engage with the UAE’s market, offering opportunities to increase trade and investment flows.
“This is all part of the work we are doing to achieve our goal of doubling the value of our exports in ten years,” he says.
Three New Zealand agritech companies are set to join forces to help unlock the full potential of technology.
As the sector heads into the traditional peak period for injuries and fatalities, farmers are being urged to "take a moment".
Federated Farmers says almost 2000 farmers have signed a petition launched this month to urge the Government to step in and provide certainty while the badly broken resource consent system is fixed.
Zespri’s counter-seasonal Zespri Global Supply (ZGS) programme is underway with approximately 33 million trays, or 118,800 tonnes, expected this year from orchards throughout France, Italy, Greece, Korea, and Japan.
Animal owners can help protect life-saving antibiotics from resistant bacteria by keeping their animals healthy, says the New Zealand Veterinary Association.
According to analysis by the Meat Industry Association (MIA), New Zealand red meat exports reached $827 million in October, a 27% increase on the same period last year.

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