Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy has attended the world’s largest food tradeshow in Dubai today, as annual two-way trade with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries exceeds $3.2 billion.

“This visit is an opportunity to strengthen our business and trade links between GCC countries and New Zealand by shining the spotlight on our world-class products,” says Mr Guy.

Gulfood is a five-day food show and provides a platform for New Zealand companies to impress 95,000 visitors expected to visit the 5000 stands from more than 120 countries.

“Food and beverage is an important part of our trading relationship, built upon the complementarity of New Zealand’s high quality food offering and many Gulf countries’ food security needs.”

Mr Guy also spoke at a function with over 200 people including New Zealand exporters, local importers and distributors and leading representatives from the hospitality industry.

New Zealand has traditionally been associated with dairy and meat exports but the list of available food products in the United Arab Emirates retail sector continues to grow, rising from thirteen products in 2013, to ninety in 2017.

“A number of our businesses already have a strong presence in this market and are doing exceptionally well selling New Zealand food and beverage products. My visit is aimed at opening doors and helping to further promote New Zealand companies.”

New Zealand’s presence at Gulfood signals the importance of our relationships with the UAE, Gulf countries and the wider region. Finalising the New Zealand GCC Free Trade Agreement is an important next step to enhancing our trade, including food and beverage, even further.

During his visit Mr Guy will also meet with UAE Minister for Climate Change and Environment, HE Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, and UAE Minister of State, HE Rashid Fahad, to discuss food standards and safety.

These meetings will highlight many areas of future cooperation between New Zealand and the UAE, in particular investment in agritech, water management and food security.

New Zealand companies attending Gulfood 2017 include Fonterra, Tegel, Taylor Preston, Lowe Corporation, ANZCO Foods, NIG Nutritionals, Milkio, NZ Dairy Company, Open Country Dairy and Spring Sheep.

|  A Beehive release  |  March 1, 2017  ||

Minister of Primary Industries Nathan Guy has witnessed an agreement in Tehran enabling the resumption of sheep and beef exports to Iran, and witnessed Zespri signalling its willingness to explore the development of the kiwifruit market.

“This is a crucial step for New Zealand meat companies as they look to re-enter the Iranian market," says Mr Guy.

The conclusion of a Meat Arrangement between the Iranian Veterinary Organisation (IVO) and the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries provides the conditions for chilled and frozen sheep and beef exports to resume with Iran, the second largest economy in the Middle East and North Africa region.

The agreement was witnessed with Iranian Minister of Agriculture Mahmoud Hojjati during their meeting in Tehran yesterday. The Ministers also discussed an action plan for agricultural cooperation in the year ahead.

Ministers Guy and Hojjati also witnessed the signing of a Statement of Intent between Zespri and Iran’s Ministry of Agriculture acknowledging the potential of the Iranian market as a large fruit consuming and growing country.

"Current import conditions mean that New Zealand is unable to export kiwifruit to Iran. However the letter of intent outlines undertakings to further explore commercial opportunities in Iran."

Iran has well established kiwifruit orchards and supply chains, and operates in a counter seasonal supply window to New Zealand.

"This visit is an important opportunity to strengthen our agricultural relationship, following the signing of an Agricultural Cooperation Arrangement last year.

“Iran has traditionally been an important market for New Zealand agricultural exporters, particularly dairy, and this visit has identified areas in which we can diversify these commercial ties and further technical cooperation."

|  A Beehive release  |  February 27, 2017  ||

Primary Industries Minister departs for Iran and the United Arab Emirates today on a trip to build closer trading relationships.

“Iran has been an important trading partner for New Zealand in the past and there is great opportunity to increase our two-way trade. This is an exciting step for New Zealand companies who are working with importers in Iran,” says Mr Guy.

“This will be the third ministerial visit to Iran in 12 months and reflects the growing importance of this relationship. This is an opportunity to strengthen our agricultural relationship, following the signing of an Agricultural Cooperation Arrangement in 2016.”

Mr Guy is also attending Gulfood, the world’s largest food tradeshow being held in Dubai

“Over ten New Zealand exporters will be attending this major event which is attended by global buyers.”

The trip also involves bilateral meetings with members of the UAE Government in Dubai.

Accompanying Mr Guy on the trip is a business delegation including representatives from Fonterra, the Meat Industry Association and Zespri.

Mr Guy departs today and returns to New Zealand on 2 March.

|  A Beehive release  |  February 24, 2017  ||

Trade Minister Todd McClay says he is extremely confident New Zealand has a strong case following Indonesia's decision to appeal a World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruling in favour of New Zealand beef and horticulture exports and says he expects Indonesia to meet their WTO obligations following the appeal.

New Zealand and the United States brought a case against Indonesia disputing 18 agricultural non-tariff barriers. The WTO ruled in favour of NZ and the US on all 18 disputed point in December last year.

“It is very common for WTO rulings of this nature to be appealed and we had expected this action,” Mr McClay says.

“New Zealand is a trading nation, trade liberalisation and fair access are essential for the continued growth and stability of our economy.”

“The Government remains committed to opposing any unfair impediments to trade and will continue to fight for the rights of our exporters to fairly access markets in all parts of the world.”

The Indonesian trade barriers are estimated to have cost the New Zealand beef sector up to a billion dollars of lost trade. As recently as 2010, Indonesia was New Zealand's second-largest beef export market by volume, worth $180 million a year. Certain horticulture exports have also been held back by the restrictions.

The barriers imposed by Indonesia include import prohibitions, use and sale restrictions, restrictive licence terms and a domestic purchase requirement.

“We enjoy close cooperation in a range of areas of mutual interest with Indonesia, but even close friends have occasional disagreements. The WTO helps insulate trade policy differences from wider bilateral relations,” Mr McClay says.

|  A Beehive release  |  February 22, 2017  ||

The annual Australia-New Zealand Leaders’ talks have taken the cooperation between our two countries forward in a number of areas, Prime Minister Bill English says.

Mr English met with Prime Minister Turnbull in Queenstown today to discuss common approaches to bilateral and international issues, including trade and science and innovation.

Mr English also thanked Mr Turnbull for Australia’s offer of support for those fighting the fires on the Port Hills in Christchurch.

“Australia is our closest friend and ally.

“A friendship is never stronger than in times of need and New Zealand is very appreciative of the understanding Australians have shown those in Christchurch this week.” Mr English says.

The two Prime Ministers also discussed their joint commitment to promoting open markets and removing trade barriers.

“The annual meeting is an opportunity for a wide-ranging discussion and is a reflection of the closeness of trans-Tasman ties,” Mr English says.

“The trans-Tasman trade and economic relationship provides an excellent model for deeper economic integration and we continue to build on that foundation as we engage with other partners.

“We want to help our traders and our consumers take advantage of the opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.”

The Prime Ministers also confirmed that in light of the US decision not to ratify the TPP, Australia and New Zealand will work together as they engage with other TPP members on the way forward for the Agreement.

The Leaders’ meeting included the signing of an agreement that will better integrate Australia and New Zealand’s science, research and innovation agendas by enabling collaboration between researchers and innovative companies on both sides of the Tasman.

The ongoing work towards a Single Economic Market was also on today’s agenda with a strong commitment expressed from both sides to continue to find ways to make it easier to operate across the trans-Tasman market.

Mr English welcomed Prime Minister Turnbull’s announcement of greater flexibilities in the implementation of the pathway to citizenship for New Zealanders who are long-term residents in Australia. The pathway recognises the importance of the bilateral relationship and the strong people links between the two countries.

The Prime Ministers also discussed the current global security environment and reiterated their commitment to working together to respond to regional and international challenges.Related Documents

Joint Statement - Leaders Meeting 17 February 2017 (pdf 108.22 KB)

Honey, Meat, Fish and Fresh Fruit Among the Cargoes Carried

Since American Airlines Cargo launched a new service between Los Angeles (LAX) and the New Zealand city of Auckland (AKL) in mid-2016, the carrier has seen consistent, rapid expansion—a developing story perfectly illustrated by the short notice shipment of a world renowned honey.

Manuka honey, lauded for its healing properties, is produced in New Zealand by bees that pollinate the native manuka plant. The transport of this honey, which is used in the treatment of a number of illnesses from sore throats to digestive problems, requires delicate handling.

Usually the honey is moved by ocean freight, but recently, on short notice, American was called upon to carry the honey for the first time; a 19,000-pound shipment from AKL to LAX and then on to London Heathrow (LHR)—and did so swiftly and smoothly in order to meet deadlines for a contract in the UK.

Lamb shipments from AKL have also exceeded expectations since the launch of this route, providing a level of confidence that has resulted in additional high-volume lamb shipments for the approaching Easter holiday.

“Customers across New Zealand are benefiting from the tremendous scope of American’s global network,” said Carolyn Evans, country manager for GSA Cargo—the airline’s global sales agent in Australasia. “Conversely, the onwards connections from the Los Angeles gateway to both Europe and South America are proving particularly popular because of the number of industries that need to airfreight goods out of New Zealand. Today, more than 50 percent of what we export is bound for destinations beyond Los Angeles.”

Typical LAX-AKL flights now contain both general freight and perishable cargo with items such as medical equipment, locks, and printed matter, alongside the more traditional meat, fish and fresh fruit products for which New Zealand has long been associated.

“We are currently gearing up for another big fruit and flower season in 2017,” added Evans, who noted that recent bad weather including snow on the south island has impacted exports, which have delayed the season slightly. “Sub-tropicals, like passion fruit, will soon be coming on stream—and in the meantime, we are busy with wine, shoes, wool products and band equipment.”

American provides a daily, direct flight from New Zealand to LAX with its new Boeing 787 aircraft, offering connections beyond the U.S. to China, Japan, London, and Sao Paulo.

After three years of developing a brand new rocket, aerospace startup Rocket Lab has finally transported a finished vehicle to the New Zealand launch pad where it will take its first flight. The rocket, called the Electron, has been tested on the ground over the last year but has never been flown to space before. Over the next couple of months, Rocket Lab will conduct a series of test launches of the vehicle to verify that it’s ready to carry payloads into orbit for commercial customers.

Compared to other major commercial rockets like the Falcon 9 or the Atlas V, the Electron is pretty small — only 55 feet tall and and around 4 feet in diameter. That’s because the vehicle is specifically designed to launch small satellites. The vehicle can carry payloads ranging from 330 to 500 pounds into an orbit more than 300 miles up. That’s a relatively light lift contrasted with the Falcon 9, which can carry more than 50,000 pounds into lower Earth orbit.

But Rocket Lab isn’t interested in competing with major players like SpaceX or the United Launch Alliance. The company wants to capitalize solely on what is being hailed as the small satellite revolution — a trend of making space probes as tiny as possible. Typically, aerospace manufacturers will spend years and millions of dollars developing a satellite that’s roughly the size of a bus. And then an entire rocket is needed just to get one thousand-pound satellite into space. But technology has advanced in recent years, and companies have come up with ways to miniaturize their satellites, making these space probes as small as a shoebox. Small satellites usually take less time and money to make, and since they’re so compact, multiple probes can be launched to space on a single rocket.

> > > Continue to read full article  |  February 16, 2017  ||

Ever wondered how flowers are transported around the world? - by Better Homes and Gardens

Emirates SkyCargo, the freight division of Emirates airline, has unveiled a unique decal featuring a rose on one of its Boeing 777-F freighter aircraft ahead of Valentine’s day. The decal, installed at the Emirates Aircraft Appearance Centre in Dubai, is the first of its kind for Emirates SkyCargo and highlights the strong contribution made by the air cargo carrier to the floriculture industry through the transport of fresh flowers across the world.

One of the first ports of call for the aircraft will be Nairobi in Kenya, where the aircraft will be loaded with a consignment of flowers headed to Amsterdam- the world’s largest flower distribution centre.

Every day Emirates SkyCargo transports fresh flowers across its global network of over 150 destinations. This includes the flowers transported on board dedicated freighters from major flower exporting countries such as Kenya and Ecuador directly to Amsterdam, as well as flowers transported in the belly hold of the aircraft from countries as far and diverse as India, New Zealand, Vietnam, Zambia, and Ethiopia. Between January and December 2016, Emirates SkyCargo transported over 70,000 tonnes of fresh flowers around the world.

Although the transportation of flowers is a year-round activity, there is a marked increase in the volume of flowers - in particular roses - being transported around Valentine’s Day which is the single most important annual date for floriculturists worldwide. It is estimated that close to 250 million stems of roses are grown worldwide exclusively to cater to the increased demand for flowers around Valentine’s Day. Emirates SkyCargo adds supplementary cargo capacity every year in the major flower trade lanes to be able to bring the additional volumes of flowers to Aalsmeer - the world’s largest flower auction house in Amsterdam - and from there onwards to other global destinations.

In the week running up to Valentine’s this year, Emirates SkyCargo has operated 4 freighters over and above the daily scheduled freighter service from Nairobi bringing close to an additional 350 tonnes of flowers into Amsterdam. Additional capacity was also deployed to supplement the thrice weekly freighter service between Quito in Ecuador and Amsterdam in order to cater to the demand around Valentine’s Day.

By facilitating the global export of flowers from countries such as Kenya and Ecuador, Emirates SkyCargo also makes an important economic contribution to these regions where the cultivation of flowers is an important local industry. The floriculture industry supports employment for an estimated half a million people in Kenya and over 100,000 people in Ecuador.

The journey of a flower usually begins in a farm where it is harvested by hand. The freshly harvested flowers are then sorted, arranged in bouquets and hand packed into boxes which are then loaded on the aircraft. In order to ensure maximum freshness and shelf life, the temperature in the cargo hold of the aircraft is maintained between 1 and 3 degrees centigrade.

Emirates Skycargo also offers a range of innovative cool chain solutions to ensure that the flowers are maintained at the right temperature from the origin to destination. One such solution is ‘White Cover’- an innovative temperature protection solution that is cost efficient and environmentally friendly. Designed to shield temperature-sensitive cargo from solar heat during transportation, it is water resistant, yet breathable making it ideal for the transport flowers.

Emirates SkyCargo has been at the forefront of the cargo industry operating a young and modern fleet of 255 aircraft including 15 dedicated freighters- 13 Boeing 777-Fs and two Boeing 747-400ERFs. The carrier also offers a number of specialised transportation solutions for customers across different business verticals such as pharmaceuticals and automobile.

Trade Minister Todd McClay will visit Mexico today to meet his counterpart, Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo and discuss the future of trade between our two countries.

“Mexico is already our largest trading partner in Latin America, and there is huge scope to further advance our economies, boosting trade and investment, and working together more closely in the Asia-Pacific region,” Mr McClay says.

This will be the Government’s first formal contact with Mexico since the United States withdrawal from the TPP agreement.

“It is timely that we sit down and discuss how to move our trading relationship forward. I expect our discussion to include next steps for TPP, bilateral trade opportunities and greater involvement with the Pacific Alliance,” Mr McClay says.

“New Zealand is a trading nation, trade liberalisation and fair access to markets are essential for the continued growth and stability of our economy. The Government will continue to push for better access for New Zealanders and our exporters in all parts of the world.”

On the trip, Mr McClay will also meet with New Zealand companies in Los Angeles who are successfully doing business in the US and creating jobs both in New Zealand and the US.

|  A Beehive release  |  February 14, 2017  ||

Prime Minister Bill English has announced Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will make an official visit to New Zealand this week.

Prime Minister Turnbull, Treasurer Scott Morrison and Industry Minister, Senator Arthur Sinodinos, arrive in Queenstown for the annual Australia-New Zealand Leaders’ meeting on Friday 17 February.

New Zealand’s Finance Minister Steven Joyce and Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges will also join the meeting.

“I am looking forward to welcoming Prime Minister Turnbull to Queenstown. His visit continues the tradition of holding trans-Tasman Leaders’ meetings early in the year,” Mr English says.

“This visit will be a good opportunity to discuss global economic trends and our shared interest in advancing the trade agenda in the Asia-Pacific.

“We will also review progress towards our trans-Tasman economic integration ambitions.

“We will continue discussions on the situation of New Zealanders in Australia, particularly following Prime Minister Turnbull’s welcome announcement in 2016 of a pathway to citizenship.”

During the visit, the two Prime Ministers will engage with business leaders from both countries and lay a wreath at the Arrowtown War Memorial.

|  A Beehive release  |  February 13, 2017  ||