September 11, 2023
Door open for Māori trade expansion
The outgoing head of Māori trade lobby group Te Taumata says New Zealand is probably close to peak free trade agreements, and the challenge now for Māori is to exploit those opportunities.
Chris Karamea Insley is stepping aside after three years, with his deputy Rawson Wright from Te Uri ō Hau taking the chair.
He says Maori producers of logs, fish, crayfish, kiwifruit and other commodities are heavily dependent on China, and they should look to diversify.
“UK – the removal of the 16 percent tariff or tax. EU – the removal of a 25 percent tariff. And these markets are massive, they’re measured in the trillions of dollars, but we’ve got to figure out now how de we step up and take advantage of these new opportunities and not sit around and wait for somebodyy else it,” Mr Insley says.
Maori food exporters should also benefit if progress is made on a trade agreement with India, which both major political parties have pledged to push.