Photo / 123rf.comBy Maja Burry of RNZA free trade deal with the UK is taking longer than both sides had hoped. New Zealand's Trade Minister Damien O'Connor said he wanted to reach an agreement as soon as possible, but the government had always said it wanted a deal that's commercially meaningful for our exporters. "We remain committed to negotiating a high quality, comprehensive and inclusive FTA with the UK," O'Connor said. In an announcement last month, the UK's Trade Secretary Liz Truss signalled it was prepared to eliminate tariffs on New Zealand honey, wine and apples. Access for New Zealand dairy and red meat is more contentious, with farmers their expressing concerns about being undercut.

Source: New Zealand Herald September 01, 2021 21:11 UTC