KEY POINTS:
The food miles issue is serious and may influence the "atmosphere" and agenda of future trade negotiations, says National Party trade spokesman and former diplomat Tim Groser.
Mr Groser, who was New Zealand's ambassador to the World Trade Organisation, said last week that he was deeply concerned about the issue because "bad ideas can spread very quickly".
"I'm glad to hear you are taking this very seriously," he said to Trade Minister Phil Goff. "I think this is a serious threat and I wouldn't even suggest that it is necessarily just a commercial threat."
It could influence the atmosphere and agenda of future trade negotiations. Business groups were trying to get a comprehensive study done on the issue.
Earlier, Mr Goff outlined what the Government was doing to counter criticism that it was bad for the environment for food to be exported from New Zealand to Europe, particularly by air.
Mr Goff said 99.75 per cent of food exported from New Zealand travelled by sea, and container ships were efficient and "quite environment-friendly".
He outlined what measures New Zealand was taking to counter those pushing the food miles argument, particularly in the UK.
- NZPA
