PQ 4. Free-trade Agreement—New Zealand - South Korea

[Sitting date: 25 November 2014. Volume:702;Page:5. Text is subject to correction.]

4. MARK MITCHELL (National—Rodney) to the Minister of Trade : What progress has been made on negotiations towards a free-trade agreement with South Korea?

Hon TIM GROSER (Minister of Trade): Excellent progress, and it is further evidence that this Government is focused on issues that will affect for the better the long-term social and economic trajectory of our country.

Mark Mitchell : Who stands to benefit from this agreement once it comes into force?

Hon TIM GROSER : There will be a range of our exporters that will achieve both immediate and, in the long term, very substantial benefits across agriculture, forestry, and seafood. I would like to particularly focus on our kiwifruit exporters, who will be relieved in only 6 years’ time of a 45 percent tariff that was driving them out of the market. It is worth about $20 million to them.

ENDS

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