Rt Hon Winston Peters
New Zealand First Leader
Member of Parliament for Northland
8 MARCH 2016

Strike a Trade Deal with Russia

As farmers’ suffer another blow with a further drop in the farmgate milk price, the PM still refuses to enter the Russian market with NZ dairy and meat exports, says New Zealand First.

“He’s denying farmers an opportunity to improve their return in desperate times when they are now facing a payout of $3.90 per kg of milk solids,” says New Zealand First Leader and Member of Parliament for Northland Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“Many are on their knees, but the PM, under questions from New Zealand First in Parliament today, falsely insisted Russia had no money and support of the European sanctions over Ukraine should continue.

“New Zealand needs to secure a trade deal with Russia to offset the harsh blows provincial New Zealand is enduring. Even former trade minister Tim Groser said resuming trade with Russia would be a step in the right direction.

“What the PM won’t recognise is that Russia is the one trade agreement we need to have in these testing times because Russia is the world’s number two dairy importer.
“Russia is not the No. 2 dairy importer because it does not have money for imports, as Mr Key asserts. It is disappointing the PM stoops to talking nonsense when questioned on such a weighty issue.

“The PM claims the TPPA is dairy’s pot of gold, but the truth is our farmers will still be competing against heavily subsidised farmers in the TPPA.”

ENDS

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