“New Zealand will be signing a Free Trade Agreement with China next month and there is no reason why there should not be a similar agreement with India,” New Zealand Minister for Agriculture, Forestry, Bio-security and Fisheries Jim Anderton said here.
He said, given the complementaries in trade between India, which is a Commonwealth country, and New Zealand, it is “odd” that an agreement is being signed with “China before India.”
Mr Anderton discussed the possibility of an FTA during his meeting with Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and Science & Technology Minister Kapil Sibal and would be taking up the issue with Commerce & Industry Kamal Nath when he meets him on Tuesday.
Explore tie-ups
He said there is scope for the two countries to explore partnerships in areas of processed milk products, meat and forestry. Mr Anderton is leading a trade delegation consisting timber companies that are keen to offer sustainable timber resources to the Indian housing and construction industry.
The New Zealand wood industry currently generates exports worth $3.1 billion, with India as its fifth largest export market for wood products in 2007.