India wants FTA so it can secure food supply (says NZ)
NZPA | Wednesday June 4 2008
India wants FTA so it can secure food supply
India is asking for a free trade agreement with New Zealand so it can secure a reliable supply of quality food, Agriculture Minister Jim Anderton says.
Mr Anderton is leading New Zealand’s delegation at a world food crisis conference in Rome, organised by the United Nations (UN).
He said today the international food shortage that was driving prices up had been mainly caused by the rapidly increasing affluence of millions of people in countries like China and India.
"Food production is now on the top of the world’s agenda," he said.
"New Zealand is well positioned...we’re high quality producers and we’ve got a lot to offer.
"Right now India has turned to New Zealand and is asking for a free trade agreement with a country that is a reliable and high quality food supplier — that wouldn’t have happened 18 months ago."
Trade Minister Phil Goff has been engaged in preliminary talks with Indian officials about an FTA, but Mr Anderton said the issue had become a priority because India was short of wheat and rice.
Mr Anderton is due to speak at the conference tomorrow.
He said he would focus on the need for third world countries to increase their productivity, and for the need to transfer technology to them so they could do that.
He also said on Radio New Zealand he would announced a $7 million contribution to the world food fund that the UN has set up.
