May 12, 2010

China and New Zealand to strengthen meat and seafood ties

Six New Zealand companies are to attend World Expo in Shanghai with the intention of marketing New Zealand meat and seafood to China.

China previously reduced tariffs on New Zealand's agricultural exports in a Free Trade Agreement signed in 2008. Continuing from this, the two countries are seeking to strengthen agricultural trading ties.

China is currently New Zealand's second largest export market, but represents only 10-15% of New Zealand's seafood market. New Zealand exports over US$170 million  worth of seafood a year to China, and imports US$2 million.

New Zealand aquaculture companies like Sanford and Sealord are banding together to market mussels to China under a single brand name, while Silver Fern Farms is pursuing its own marketing strategy following the collapse of a planned meat consortium.

The two countries are also establishing a stronger relationship over food safety regulations. Senior Chinese government officials visited New Zealand to inspect the latter country's seafood safety measures. New Zealand will reciprocate by sending Officials from the New Zealand Food Safety Authority and Ministry of Agriculture to further finalise how the two countries can cooperate.