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Tariff Uncertainty Prompts NZ Agricultural Businesses To Look For New Markets
New Zealand agriculture can no longer relay on its usual international customers, and needs to look for new markets, a new report says.
The report from business consultancy KPMG on Agribusiness Agenda, has tapped local leaders in various parts of the country's agricultural sector for their views on where the industry needs to go.
KMPG spokesperson Ian Proudfoot said tariff uncertainty was spurring people into action.
"They're thinking about where else can we sell products, what do we need to make those products look like, and what attributes do they need to have for them to be sold effectively," Proudfoot said.
One of the highest priorities identified by the report was the signing of high quality trade agreements with new trading partners. India is high on the list along with South East Asian markets such as Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia.
Biosecurity remained the top of the must do list, along with post-pandemic supply chain resilience.
Proudfoot said there was support to maintain migration settings, but also a need to grow a skilled local labour force, rather than relying on migrant labour, and a training system to deliver it.
He said sustainability was not just important but non-negotiable.
"The overriding message is that we can't change our course on sustainability. The main reason is commercial. We're selling to a relatively small group of customers around the world who are servicing a high value market. Those commitments are really important to them."
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