Call for optimism oil butter access

Press, 7 April 1988, Page 7

Call for optimism oil butter access

! i I ! ;New Zealand should remain optimistic about butter access into Europe, said the ( Minister of , Overseas | Trade, Mr Moore; i yesterday on his return from Europe and Asia. | I ( (Although New, Zealand access (to Europe would never be increased, the volume ( exported now would at least be maintained, (Mr! Moore said. (Mr ( Moore | visited Europe, Singapore, and led the( New Zealand trade mission to Turkey. ( He spoke of optimistic moves (within the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade! arid! the ! potential for New (Zealand exporters within Europe. I He .also said “that the British Minister! of Agriculture, Lord ( Young, would; visit New Zealand

in October. The mission had lobbied for New Zealand’s position! on butter access to be heard, Mr Moore said. “We just have to keep our foot in the door. We have lost 50 per cent! of our access in the last I 10 years,” (he said. The cap that Europe had placed on production could benefit New Zealand. | However, (the Europeans .asserted that the pain of reduced butter production had to ( be shared.! “Why ( should our farmers have cuts without New Zealand farmers also suffering,” European farmers had said. Nevertheless, ! Mr Moore,( emphasised that New Zealand did ( not share i the market with

Europe in cars or technology as Europe wanted New Zealand to share the agriculture market. Advances ! had been made in G.AIT.T. whereby in 1990 when the body met Canada a freeze would be put on trade subsidies. j There would be no “roll-back” of New Zealand’s trading partners' subsidies, but at least these would not increase, he said. Mr Moore said there were many possibilities for New Zealand to sell expertise in Turkey. There were vast natural gas resources in Turkey which New Zealand companies could assist in, as well as plans for at least 50 hydro-electric dams.