September 15, 2006

New Zealand urges India to lift ban on dairy product imports 
 

New Zealand is urging India to lift the ban on its dairy products to continue friendly business relations.

Trade Commissioner Paul Vaughan said it was about time India considered lifting the ban, which has been in place since the 1980s. In the 1970s, India launched "Operation Flood", the agricultural revolution which helped millions of local dairy farmers expand their markets by establishing a National Milk Grid and eliminated middlemen. This also led to a ban on foreign dairy imports.   

Vaughan remarked that India has enjoyed open markets for its exports of electronic goods, IT products, machinery and jewellery in New Zealand.

He also noted that trade relations with India had always been cordial and positive. Opening India's market for milk would give relations a further boost, he added.