Hopeful view on butter quotas

Press, 14 March 1986, Page 2

Hopeful view on butter quotas

NZPA staff correspondent London The Minister of Agriculture, Mr Moyle, has said in London that he is confident New Zealand butter sales to Europe will continue at a reduced but satisfactory level during the next two years. New Zealand, now allowed to export 79,000 tonnes of butter, will have its quota for 1987 and 1988 set in Brussels this year. In 1984, E.E.C. Agriculture Ministers could not agree on a European Commission proposal that New Zealand should be allowed to export 77,000 tonnes of butter in 1986 and 75,000 tonnes in 1987. Mr Moyle said in London yesterday that no alternative to the 1984 proposals had been aired during his talks with Irish and British politicians in the last few days. He said he had no reason to believe that the eventual figure would be less than the 77,000 and 75,000 tonnes.

One reason for his optimism was that Ireland, which in 1984 obstructed the discussions on New Zealand access, was now on side.

Mr Moyle said he did not expect New Zealand’s strained trading relations with France to spill over to the butter debate.

Yesterday Mr Moyle met his British counterpart, Mr Michael Jopling, who “could not have given a stronger assurance that he will be supporting our case” when butter access was discussed.