Trade Minister Todd McClay. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
A free trade agreement with India will be confirmed prior to the general election next year, according to Trade Minister Todd McClay.
McClay said the second round of formal negotiations ended with the Indian government saying it wants to conclude the agreement quickly.
India is New Zealand's 25th largest goods export market - valued at $718 million - mainly in forestry and agricultural products.
McClay said there's a big opportunity in the Indian market for more rural exports.
"You want to sell New Zealand lamb into India, you face a 30 percent tariff. The Australian tariff on their lamb is, is zero, so, you know, they have a 30 percent advantage over us," he said.
"New Zealand lamb is much better, so we're trying to get that tariff rate down to be the same as Australia, so that those and people in India who eat meat can have the best lamb in the world from New Zealand."
McClay recently returned from the United States where he met with their trade minister and discussed the fifteen percent tariffs for all imports into the US.
McClay said they have agreed to talk every month about the effects they are having on New Zealand exporters.
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