Horticulture New Zealand has joined the chorus of groups welcoming the news of movement towards the signing of a free trade agreement with the US.

In 2007, New Zealand’s horticulture exporters sent products worth NZ$338 million (£125m) to the US, which included $57m of apples, $25m of kiwifruit and $16m of onions.

In relation to other markets, tariffs applied to New Zealand fruit and veg entering the US market are already low. The most significant tariff still in place is 14 per cent on frozen vegetables and other processed products.

HortNZ chief executive Peter Silcock said: “HortNZ would be delighted to see this reduce as it would certainly open up a market where we face strong competition from a number of South American countries that already have free trade agreements with the US.”

Other products which would welcome a tariff reduction are asparagus (currently five per cent) and melons (29 per cent).

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