U.S. Will Admit More N.Z. Cheese

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31881, 8 January 1969, Page 1

U.S. Will Admit More N.Z. Cheese

(flew Zealand Prexx Association)

WELLINGTON, January 7. New Zealand’s allocation on the United States cheese market has been almost doubled.

The new American quotas for the importation of special cheeses, announced in Washington today, allow New Zealand to export a total of 163 m lb of cheese to the United States during 1969.

New Zealand’s preI vious quota was B.Bm I lb and was restricted I to cheddar and colby I cheeses. The new alloI cation provides an increase of 7.5 m lb for special cheese. I New Zealand’s increased I allocation demonstrated the I importance of avoiding a | situation in which New ZeaI land subsidised its dairy proI duction, the Minister of OverI seas Trade (Mr Marshall) I said this afternoon. I “Subsidies would underI mine the strength of our posiI tion in seeking to emphasise I the justice of our case against I other dairy producers which I subsidise their exports.” I Mr Marshall said that the I Dairy Board, through its I agents in Washington, apI proached the United States Government for the imposition of countervailing duties and this was one of the factors which led the United States to review the position. “Welcome News” The announcement of the additional quota would be very welcome news t) dairy farmers, said Mr F. L. Onion, chairman of the Dairy Board. “Over past years we have done our utmost to recognise and meet the difficulties of the United States Administration and the United States dairy industry after the uncontrolled dumping of considerably increased quantities of cheese and other dairy pro-

ducts into the United States market.

“We fully recognise the need for control over such dumping but we were concerned when our special position was not acknowledged by the United States in announcing the earlier quota arrangements.

“This present announcement will be of very real assistance to the industry, even-though we are still appreciably below the level of our previous trade in dairy products,” he said. In a statement this morning, Mr Marshall said the latest Administration decision was made after a long series of representations to the United States authorities during the last six months. In which New Zealand sought recognition of its legitimate trading interest as an efficient and norf-subsidising producer.

When the Administration took special action last September to limit imports of “special cheeses,” New Zealand received no quota allocation.

“New Zealand had been disturbed that the manner in which the United States import quotas were being allocated tended to reward those countries which subsidised the export of these products, and considered that its previous quota of B.Bm lb for cheddar and colby cheese only, did not provide a reasonable trading opportunity in relation to the demand for New Zealand dairy products in the United States.

“The new allocation, while being relatively small In the

light of our past trade in cheese with the United States, is nevertheless a welcome recognition of New Zealand’s position," Mr Marshall said. In a statement released from London today, the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) said it was a matter of some satisfaction to the Government that the United States Administration had almost doubled New Zealand’s quota for the importation of cheese.

Sources in Wellington believe the efforts over the last few months in getting the quota increase have been worth while. “It is a step. It is something,” they said. “We don’t think we will get much more for some time.”