Court action mooted on F.O.L. trade ban

Press, 22 June 1981, Page 12

Court action mooted on F.O.L. trade ban

’A Wellington '• Federated Farmers should challenge the Federation of Labour trade ban on Chile through the courts, says Mr N. Q. Wright, chairman of Federated Farmers’ Dominion agriculture section. He told its annual conference in Wellington that the trade ban was intolerable. “The F.O.L.’s position is against the interest of farmers who have the potential to trade in small seeds and dairy products and is affecting the total exort

potential of all New Zealand,”' said Mr Wright. '“I understand that only' New Zealand andibuba. are not trading officially ■ with Chile,” he said. “This conference should make representations to the Prime Minister on the fanners’ view and the federation should challenge in court in court the right of the F.O.L. to impose such a ban." Mr Wright said after the conference that $5 million in small seeds trade had been lost when the F.O.L. imposed its ban, and $l2 million in dairy products.

Since then the trade.poten- . tial had grown and the ,counj try was now losing about $l2O million worth, of trade because of the ban. he said. Chile's economy was : booming, its pastureland was growing and there was an obvious potential seed market . for New Zealand, a major producer of white clover suitable for many parts of Chile. Mr Wright also called for' a more co-ordinated approach to marketing arable produce.