The red meat sector welcomes today’s announcement of the launch of free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations between the United Kingdom and New Zealand.
“The UK is an important market for New Zealand’s high value lamb exports and has good potential for beef. The FTA is an opportunity to strengthen our bilateral relationship and generate additional export revenue for the country,” says Sirma Karapeeva, Chief Executive of the Meat Industry Association (MIA).
“New Zealand relies on secure, stable and predictable market access to support the livelihoods of thousands of New Zealanders and businesses.
“The red meat sector employs almost 5 percent of New Zealand’s fulltime workforce, accounting for 92,000 jobs, predominantly in the regions. A high quality, comprehensive and ambitious FTA with the UK will deliver real prosperity for our regional and national economies.”
Beef + Lamb New Zealand Chief Executive Sam McIvor says New Zealand has long established relationships with the UK red meat sector. “Our red meat exports complement seasonal production in the UK so that customers can buy high-quality red meat all year around. Crucially, trade with New Zealand ensures there is lamb available at Easter and Christmas.
“As a signatory to the statement supporting open and predictable trade in food products, we hope to see this reflected in the UK’s approach to FTA negotiations,” he says.
The UK was New Zealand’s third largest individual market in 2019, behind China and the United States. The UK was also New Zealand’s largest market for chilled lamb in 2019, worth almost $384 million.
The successful conclusion of a high-quality UK-NZ FTA would support the UK’s strategy of joining the international trade community and the potential joining of the Comprehensive and Progressive Transpacific Partnership (CPTPP) in the future.
“The red meat sector looks forward to working with the New Zealand Government and UK organisations to generate new opportunities for agricultural and food producers under a UK-NZ FTA,” says Mr McIvor.
ENDS
For more information please contact B+LNZ’s Katie Jans on katie.jans@beeflambnz.com or 027 838 6353, or Sam Halstead on sam@latitudesc.co.nz or 027 474 6065.