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New Zealand Seafood Industry Welcomes NZ And US Food Safety
14.12.2012
New Zealand Seafood Industry Welcomes NZ And US Food Safety Agreement
The New Zealand seafood industry today welcomed the joint agreement between United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) recognising each other’s food safety systems as comparable to each other.
“The agreement is a vote of confidence in New Zealand’s food safety system and in the high quality of New Zealand’s seafood products,” says Lesley Campbell, Acting Chief Executive of Seafood New Zealand.
Ms Campbell says the agreement will mean greater commercial certainty for the seafood industry, as well as providing US consumers with even more confidence in New Zealand seafood.
“At a practical level it will reduce compliance costs, for example, with less inspection and oversight of our products at the border we can expect those products to move more quickly into the United States.
Ms Campbell says that New Zealand exports around ten per cent of its seafood to the United States directly, with a value of NZ$147 million for the year ended 31 October 2012.
“United States is our number one market for Greenshell™ Mussels with exports valued at NZ$59 million for the year ended 31 October, 2012.
The agreement is a significant achievement for New Zealand and has been closely followed and supported by the New Zealand seafood industry since the initial discussions started in 2010.
“We would like to thank both the FDA and MPI for their commitment in bringing this historic agreement to the table,” says Ms Campbell.
ENDS
Seafood New Zealand
Seafood New Zealand’s primarily focus is deepwater and inshore wild capture fisheries, but works closely with other sectors to ensure a thriving and sustainable seafood sector that is valued by New Zealanders and our trading partners.
New Zealand's seafood industry plays a key role in the country's economy, contributing around $2 billion in export earnings and employing more than 16,500 people, who provide New Zealand and the world with high quality, nutritious and great tasting seafood.
The seafood industry is committed to providing high quality careers in local communities through our sustainable and innovative provision of safe seafood.
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