Pacific trade deal a big win for Aussie farmers

Australian beef, sheep, wool, wine and horticulture growers will benefit from a mix of lower tariffs and improved market access after a deal was struck on the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in Tokyo overnight.

 

Ministers in participating countries are expected to sign the agreement in Chile on March 8.

 

Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, David Littleproud, said the historic 11-nation deal will lock in greater trade access for Australian farmers to markets worth almost $14 trillion combined.

 

“The proposed abolition of Japan’s tariffs on our cheeses, wine, sheep meat, horticulture, cotton, wool, and seafood is all great news for our farmers,” Minister Littleproud said.

 

“Reductions in Japan’s tariffs on our beef and new quotas for wheat, sugar and rice to Japan, as well as sugar into Japan, Canada and Mexico, are also great news.

 

“New trade access to Canada and Mexico is really exciting.

 

“Aussie farmers want more buyers competing for their product, and we’re delivering that by opening new markets and reducing tariffs and trade barriers.

 

“This leads to better farm gate prices, which is what we all want.

 

“I congratulate Minister Ciobo on his great work in this space.”

 

The CPTPP will be the world’s largest ever regional trade agreement and it includes three of Australia’s top 10 agricultural trade markets Japan, Vietnam and New Zealand.

 

“The slashing of Japanese tariffs on beef and wine affects exports worth more than $100 million, which were not covered by our bilateral deal with Japan,” Minister Littleproud said.

 

“We have already secured Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with China, Korea, Japan and Peru and we continue to work hard to secure new agreements.  Since January 2016, Australian farmers have gained access to 64 key global markets and improved market access in another 57 countries.”

 

The CPTPP countries are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.