Beef+Lamb NZ advancing trade negotiations at APEC

8 Novembmer 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Beef + Lamb New Zealand advancing trade negotiations at APEC

Beef + Lamb New Zealand CEO, Dr Scott Champion will attend the APEC CEO Summit this week, where one of the goals is to seek progress on trade liberalisation issues in the Asia Pacific region.

Dr Champion, who is a member of the 10-person New Zealand business leaders delegation attending the summit, says advancing negotiations on the Trans Pacific Partnership, is a priority because of the opportunities this agreement will deliver the growing list of participants, currently including the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Brunei, Chile, Peru and Vietnam. Malaysia is expected to join these negotiations at the next round.

"This agreement has the potential to create significant trading opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region for New Zealand sheep and beef farmers and a successful outcome would see the removal of barriers and the facilitation of trade in this strategic region.

"Importantly, it will also protect New Zealand's competitive position in the US, given other meat exporting countries like Australia, Canada, Mexico and Chile already have preferential access in the US."

Dr Champion's attendance at the summit will also be an opportunity to continue to build New Zealand's relationship with Japan - an important market for New Zealand beef exports.

The Japanese market took 35,775 tonnes of beef and offals worth $234.60 million in the 2009/10 production year making it the fourth largest export market by volume and second largest by value.

While Japan is primarily a grain-fed market, there is a growing following for New Zealand grass-fed beef.

"Our in-market intelligence gathering on behalf of New Zealand sheep and beef farmers is highlighting that women over 50 years and families with young children are very interested in New Zealand grass-fed beef because of its safe, healthy and nutritious qualities."

Dr Champion will also be representing sheep and beef farmer interests with visits into Korea and Taiwan which are also important markets for New Zealand beef and co-products. There he will be meeting with importers and retailers of New Zealand grass-fed beef.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand Ltd is the farmer owned industry organisation representing New Zealand’s sheep and beef farmers. Beef + Lamb New Zealand Ltd invests farmer levies to help develop a growing sheep and beef industry providing sustainable returns for future generations. Beef + Lamb New Zealand has four programmes – Farm, Market, People and Information – to deliver innovative tools and services to support informed decision making, and continuous improvement in market access, product positioning and farming systems for New Zealand’s sheep and beef sector.

ENDS

© Scoop Media