New Zealand Apples and Pears (NZAPI), the industry association representing the country’s apple, pear and Nashi growers, has welcomed the announcement from the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, and Trade Minister, Damien O’Connor, that an agreement in principle has been reached on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United Kingdom.
“We congratulate Minister O’Connor and the MFAT negotiating team for achieving this outstanding outcome”, said NZAPI chief executive, Alan Pollard.
“The United Kingdom is a very important market for our apples and pears, regularly featuring in the top two or three markets by volume. Having a comprehensive FTA and the phasing out of tariffs will ensure that our New Zealand growers will be able to continue to provide UK consumers with the opportunity to experience the unique taste and quality of New Zealand apples and pears in a more welcoming trade setting.”
Under the agreement, the tariff on pears will reduce to zero on the date of the agreement coming into force, with a seasonal tariff on apples from August to December reducing to zero over a three-year period.
