Road show to focus on more open Taiwan

Steve Bunyan is Zespri's regional manager South and Southeast Asia.

Bay of Plenty exporters will have an opportunity next week to gain insights into the new market prospects that have opened up as a result of last year's signing of the Agreement on New Zealand and Taiwan Economic Co-operation (ANZTEC).

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise was mounting a road show that would bring in a seven-member delegation from the Importers and Exporters Association of Taipei, said Sam Finnemore, the NZTE events manager who is co-ordinating the visit.

"The aim overall is to link up the Taiwanese inward group with interested businesses from New Zealand and to build some relationships there across the sectors we're looking at," he said.

The visit will also provide an opportunity to gain insights from two Taiwan market experts, Charles Finny, the lead New Zealand negotiator on ANZTEC, and Steve Bunyan, Zespri's regional manager South & Southeast Asia. The two speakers will take part in a market forum to be held from 5pm-7pm, Wednesday, April 15.

ExportNZ Bay of Plenty will host the group in Tauranga and assist with matching up local exporters with the visitors, who are mostly focused in the food and beverage sectors.

They are particularly looking for trade in these areas; wine, ice cream, frozen juices, organic fruit and vegetables, processed fruits and nuts for the bakery industry, organic cherries, apples, kiwifruit, eggs, cottage cheese, plus honey, wool and clothing.

ANZTEC has delivered preferential tariff access giving New Zealand exporters a key competitive advantage in an important Asian market of 24 million people, according to government statements.

Under ANZTEC, New Zealand has already achieved duty-free access to Taiwan for most goods including fresh foods and dairy, with the rest duty free within one to two years.

Taiwan is New Zealand's eighth-largest goods export market, third-largest market for beef and fourth-biggest for fruit, and is also an important tourism and education market.

Trade experts note Taiwan is also important as a gateway to the mainland China market.