10 December 2010: CANEGROWERS supports Emerson’s straight shooting on fair trade

CANEGROWERS says the Trade Minister has cut through the bull and demanded a no-nonsense commercial, rather than geo-political approach to free trade, hitting the nail on the head for farmers and the national economy, given agriculture is the most distorted sector of global trade.

Peak sugarcane group CANEGROWERS says Federal Trade Minister Dr Craig Emerson today outlined a punchy, proactive position in his trade policy speech at the Lowy Institute in Sydney.

“The Minister spoke strongly about the key issue - dispensing with the bargaining-chip-approach to trade deals, a key issue which stalls negotiation after negotiation,” said CANEGROWERS CEO Steve Greenwood today.

“Cane growers now feel like they have someone in their corner, following the Minister’s frank preparedness to reject trade agreements and other deals that do not provide direct benefits to Australia and tangible market access.

The Australian sugar industry long been an advocate for fair trade. An active member of the Global Sugar Alliance, Australia has joined forces with other countries who also want greater transparency in trade deals.

“Basing deals on foreign affairs and global politics has distorted and corrupted the global market, the world sugar market is one on the most affected.”

Greenwood says trade rules work.

“Reduced EU export subsidies show this. The WTO is a key, but bilateral and regional agreements have their place provided the deliver worthwhile trade outcomes, unencumbered by geo-politics,” he says.

Almost all of Australia’s sugarcane is sold as raw sugar at world market prices. “East Asia, the main focus of Dr Emerson’s bilateral trade agreements is our marketplace. The Korean, Japanese, Chinese and Indonesian markets are trade priorities for the sugar industry, and they are critical markets for most of Australia’s agricultural and resource commodity exports.

“The Australian sugar industry has come through the last decade as one of the most competitive in the world. The restructuring, the hard work, the heartache and tears will be in vain unless we can access markets.”

The National Farmers’ Federation said in a press statement today that today’s speech was refreshingly direct and a positive shake-up. “Opening up markets, strengthening the international rules-based trading system, reducing subsidies and generally facilitating the free flow of food and fibre has been, and remains, one of the NFF’s highest priorities,” said NFF’s President Jock Laurie.

Media Comment:
Steve Greenwood, CANEGROWERS CEO, 0488 721 156.
Alf Cristaudo, CANEGROWERS Chairman, 0418 181 204.