NZ business leaders urge US to review tariffs
New Zealand’s top business leaders are urging the US Administration to review “unjustified and discriminatory tariffs” imposed on Kiwi exporters.
NZ International Business Forum executive director Stephen Jacobi says the present FTA negotiations with the UK is depressing, with the same old roadblocks being put up against NZ as they were some 40 years ago.
He says the UK's agricultural sector has been mollycoddled by the EU's Common Agriculture Policy.
However, Jacobi says the UK is slightly different now because of Brexit and they want to be seen as a global Britain. But he ads they need to walk the talk about agriculture and trade liberalisation. He says the fact that Britain has negotiated an FTA with Australia is an encouraging sign that they may break out of the protectionist mould.
As for Europe, Jacobi says it's a case of the same old same as, the only difference being they have moved away from direct support for production.
"But they haven't got a market-oriented system for agriculture and it's still a highly regulated system where the market signals are all obscured," he says.
Jacobi hopes that issues raised in a recent discussion paper will stimulate conversations in the business community and government to find new ways to improved access for NZ products to overseas markets.
Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) says a new report projects strong export growth for New Zealand's horticulture sector highlights the industry's increasing contribution to the national economy.
Fonterra shareholders say they will be keeping an eye on their co-operative's performance after the sale of its consumer businesses.
T&G Global says its 2025 New Zealand apple season has delivered higher returns for growers, reflecting strong global consumer demand and pricing across its Envy and Jazz apple brands.
New Zealand's primary sector is set to reach a record $62 billion in food and fibre exports next year.
A new levying body, currently with the working title of NZWool, has been proposed to secure the future of New Zealand's strong wool sector.
The most talked about, economically transformational pieces of legislation in a generation have finally begun their journey into the statute books.