NZ’s Onion Growers And Exporters Applaud In-principle Agreement Of The UK-NZ Free Trade Agreement

New Zealand’s onion growers and exporters are welcoming the in-principle agreement of the UK-NZ Free Trade Agreement (FTA), saying that it will ensure that this country’s onion exports continue to grow as the world comes to terms with Covid.

‘Trade and exporting benefits a diverse range of New Zealand businesses. Without clear trading arrangements, improved market access and reduced tariffs, it is extremely difficult to export from the bottom of the world to larger economies like the United Kingdom,’ says Onions NZ Chief Executive, James Kuperus.

‘Of immediate benefit to the onion sector is the expectation of tariffs being eliminated on onions, once the agreement comes into force.

‘The New Zealand onion sector is extremely grateful for the hard work of New Zealand’s negotiators and diplomats, who have worked tirelessly to conclude this agreement. The New Zealand team has had to join Zoom calls with their counterparts at extremely inconvenient times of the night, for example.’

The conclusion of this agreement will benefit onion growers and regional communities, from Pukekohe to Canterbury. The tariff on New Zealand onions is currently 8%. New Zealand currently exports $11 million worth of onions to the United Kingdom annually.

Onions are an important rotation crop for many vegetable growers. Having onions in a rotation allows growers to rotate between other crops such as lettuces, potatoes, carrots etc, which helps to control pests and diseases.

In 2019, the New Zealand onion industry was worth $200 million back to the grower, 85% of which came from exports.

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