Fruit Sales To U.K. Secure

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32392, 3 September 1970, Page 22

Fruit Sales To U.K. Secure

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, September 2.

Although apple and pear exports to the United Kingdom could be expected to continue at their present level if Britain joined the European Economic Community, they would no longer enjoy a duty-free access, the Minister of Overseas Trade (Mr Marshall) told the New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Federation conference today.

Out of New Zealand’s 59.2 m total exports of apples and pears in 1969-70, 58 per cent was expected to go to the United Kingdom market, said Mr Marshall. This indicated the importance of the British market for New Zealand’s pip fruit.

At present apples and pears from New Zealand en- . ter the British market free of

duty and are free from import restriction.

“New Zealand’s special position in relation to the U.K.-E.E.C. negotiations has come to be concentrated on three products butter, cheese, and lamb—because of our unique reliance on the British market for these exports,” said Mr Marshall. He said that it was absolutely essential for the economic survival of New Zealand that some specific form of safeguard for these products to enter Britain be obtained. The situation for apples and pears and other agricultural products however was fundamentally different. “The British market is certainly New Zealand’s major market for apples and pears, but New Zealand does not rely on it to the same extent as for butter, cheese, and lamb,” he said.

The threat to New Zealand apple and pear exports to Britain as a member of an enlarged E.E.C. did not appear to be as immediate or direct as that which butter or cheese exports would face if no special arrangements were made for New Zealand. At present the E.E.C. and Britain were both net importers, in view of their seasonal requirements, and were likely to continue importing apples and pears from the Southern Hemisphere, said Mr Marshall.