Todd McClay Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
India has asked New Zealand to give its grape exporters early market access in a bid to expand bilateral trade in fresh and dried fruit.
Trade Minister Todd McClay has just concluded a visit to the South Asian trading giant, holding talks with his counterparts in agriculture, forestry, commerce and animal husbandry.
McClay also met a business delegation from the Indian state of Gujarat and its chief minister, Bhupendra Patel.
Indian Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan welcomed New Zealand's decision to import pomegranates from India and lift restrictions on mango exports.
Chouhan also expressed hope for the swift approval of newly audited vapour heat treatment facilities in Lucknow and Delhi, which would further boost the volume of Indian mangoes exported to New Zealand.
"Minister Chouhan emphasized the potential for expanding trade in other agricultural products, including fresh and dried fruits like oranges and bananas," the Indian government said in a statement. "He especially mentioned considering early market access to Indian exporters for exporting grapes to New Zealand."
Meanwhile, the two ministers spoke of possible collaboration between India and New Zealand on cage fisheries.
A proposed memorandum of cooperation in horticulture was also discussed.
McClay thanked India's government for the recent resumption of pine log exports from New Zealand after issues related to fumigation had been sorted out.
The trade minister held meetings with officials from National Dairy Development Board of India and the country's largest milk cooperative, Amul. He also visited some dairy farms and milk factories.
"There are exciting opportunities for India and New Zealand to partner and cooperate to boost our respective agriculture sectors," he said in a social media post.
After speaking with Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, McClay said he had continued to have a "regular tempo of discussions on opportunities to enhance and strengthen bilateral trade and economic ties".
