WTO membership aids apple exporters

By Phil Boeyen, ShareChat Business News Editor

Thursday 3rd January 2002

Taiwan's entry into the World Trade Organisation is expected to have a positive spin-off for New Zealand's apple exporters.

Taiwan officially joined the WTO on Wednesday and as part of its membership, the current restricted access by New Zealand apple exporters will be replaced by a tariff-only regime.

Agriculture Minister, Jim Sutton, says the practical effect of this change is that all New Zealand exporters will be able freely to export apples to Taiwan, provided that they meet its phytosanitary requirements.

"This is good news for the New Zealand apple industry and is a further positive step in liberalising trade in agricultural goods world-wide.

"This is just one example of the benefits for New Zealand exporters that will flow from Taiwan's membership of the World Trade Organisation."

Exports of New Zealand apples to all markets were effectively deregulated from October last year but restrictions had been maintained on access to Taiwan in order to manage New Zealand's 8,000 tonne country-specific tariff quota in that market.

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