Editorial: Passage to India
OPINION: Even before the National-led coalition came into power, India was very much at the fore of its trade agenda.
News that the TPP is to be signed here early next month will no doubt fire up outrage, ridiculous claims and pontificating by the usual array of serial protestors, desperate politicians and other economic Luddites.
These people seem to throw out all sorts of fantastic claims about the evils of trade and their nonsense is never seriously challenged.
Just how our country is supposed to pay for ever increasing demands for better health, education, superannuation and social welfare, while not increasing its trade with the rest of the world, seems to get lost in the venomous rhetoric spewed by those opposed to the TPP and other trade deals.
The fact is that as a trading nation – with agriculture as our biggest trading sector – NZ needs deals like the TPP, the China FTA, CER and the proposed EU trade deal – for economic survival.
No deal is ever perfect and that includes the TPP – notably as it concerns NZ dairying. But despite only minuscule progress for our dairy exports, the deal has delivered some good wins for NZ primary sector.
As NZ special agriculture envoy Mike Petersen said at the conclusion of the negotiations last October, the TPP has delivered an "outstanding" result for the NZ primary sector.
"We have basically gained free trade access for most of our primary sector products – with the exception of dairy and some beef – to 11 new markets with a population of 800 million or 40% of the world's trade."
How is that a bad thing?
A recent World Bank report – 'The potential macroeconomic implications of the Trans-Pacific Partnership" – estimates that the NZ economy will get a definite economic boost from TPP.
As President Obama told legislators in the US during his final State of the Union address last week, a Trans-Pacific Partnership opens markets, protects workers and the environment, and ... supports more good jobs.
"Do you want to show our strength in this century? Approve this agreement," he implored.
It would be nice if NZ politicians would also take up President Obama's challenge and put aside petty politicking for once and approve this agreement.
Don't hold your breath.
Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.
Shipping disruption caused by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea has so far not impacted fertiliser prices or supply on farm.
The opportunity to spend more time on farm while providing a dedicated service for shareholders attracted new environmental manager Ben Howden to work for Waimakariri Irrigation Limited (WIL).
Federated Farmers claims that the Otago Regional Council is charging ahead unnecessarily with piling more regulation on rural communities.
Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.
OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.