ID :
204066
Mon, 08/29/2011 - 05:44
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/204066
The shortlink copeid
New Zealand's largest exporter urges FTA with S. Korea
New Zealand's largest exporter urges FTA with S. Korea
By Byun Duk-kun
AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) - New Zealand's largest dairy exporter on Monday called for the early signing of a free trade agreement (FTA) between South Korea and New Zealand.
"Korea for us is one of our main customers...We have been operating there for a very long time. We hope with an FTA, we can do more there," said Michelle Podmore, a trade strategist at Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd., New Zealand's largest cooperative of dairy farmers.
Solely owned by New Zealand's 10,500 farmers, Fonterra is also the country's largest exporter with some US$11 billion worth of dairy products shipped overseas annually, accounting for 25 percent of all of New Zealand's exports.
South Korea recently implemented its FTA with the European Union and is moving to launch its free trade deal with the United States before the year's end.
These agreements, said Sarah Paterson, Fonterra's group manager for trade strategy, have a negative impact on Fonterra's exports to Korea and "our ability to compete."
"We want to be treated on the same basis as other partners (of South Korea)," Paterson said.
Seoul and Wellington held three rounds of FTA negotiations since June 2009 but have been unable to resume the talks since their negotiations hit a stumbling block in December 2009.
The company officials said Fonterra was working to build support for the proposed trade agreement in both countries.
South Korea was Fonterra's 13th-largest market in 2010, but its sales there nearly remain unchanged every year because of its limited access stemming mainly from tariffs, they said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
By Byun Duk-kun
AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Aug. 29 (Yonhap) - New Zealand's largest dairy exporter on Monday called for the early signing of a free trade agreement (FTA) between South Korea and New Zealand.
"Korea for us is one of our main customers...We have been operating there for a very long time. We hope with an FTA, we can do more there," said Michelle Podmore, a trade strategist at Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd., New Zealand's largest cooperative of dairy farmers.
Solely owned by New Zealand's 10,500 farmers, Fonterra is also the country's largest exporter with some US$11 billion worth of dairy products shipped overseas annually, accounting for 25 percent of all of New Zealand's exports.
South Korea recently implemented its FTA with the European Union and is moving to launch its free trade deal with the United States before the year's end.
These agreements, said Sarah Paterson, Fonterra's group manager for trade strategy, have a negative impact on Fonterra's exports to Korea and "our ability to compete."
"We want to be treated on the same basis as other partners (of South Korea)," Paterson said.
Seoul and Wellington held three rounds of FTA negotiations since June 2009 but have been unable to resume the talks since their negotiations hit a stumbling block in December 2009.
The company officials said Fonterra was working to build support for the proposed trade agreement in both countries.
South Korea was Fonterra's 13th-largest market in 2010, but its sales there nearly remain unchanged every year because of its limited access stemming mainly from tariffs, they said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
