Time To Deliver On Trade

Monday, 23 February 2004, 8:28 am
Press Release: Federated Farmers

Federated Farmers of New Zealand (Inc) today called for the Cairns Group countries to make a strong push to get the Doha round of the World Trade Organisation talks back on track.

Cairns Group Ministers will hold a formal meeting early next week in Costa Rica. The meeting will be attended by Trade Negotiations Minister Jim Sutton.

"It is extremely important for New Zealand agriculture that the Doha Round is completed successfully," said President Tom Lambie. "Any movement towards that goal would he hugely welcome."

The Cairns Group of 17 agricultural exporting countries was formed in 1986 to put agriculture on the multilateral trade agenda.

Mr Lambie said that the Cairns Group Farm Leaders believed that there could be no Doha Round outcome without a comprehensive agreement on agriculture.

“We will not accept another limited set of outcomes,” Mr Lambie said, a view which is mirrored by the Australian National Farmers' Federation.

“Cairns Group Farm Leaders were saddened at the failure of the Cancun talks, but despite this knock we have not backed away from a resolve to ensure a positive result for farmers from the Doha round," he said.

Australia's trade deal with the United States will hopefully add impetus to the multi-lateral trade talks in the Doha Round.

"We fully support the efforts of Trade Negotiations Minister Jim Sutton to ensure that New Zealand is out there gaining market access. Because if we haven't got market access, there is no agriculture, there is no trade, there is no New Zealand."

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