Australian growers celebrate free trade agreement

AUSTRALIAN growers are celebrating following a change in tariffs resulting from the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA).
Those exporting seed and processing potato to Thailand are no longer subject to tariffs or limits on volume.
Thailand has now implemented zero tariffs and the removal of tariff rate quotas that limited the volume that could access the lower TAFTA tariff rate for Australian seed and processing potatoes.
Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management David Littleproud has said the removal of limits was a boost for potato farmers, adding that Australian farmers can now export seed and processing potatoes at any time of the year.
“Last year, Thailand was our second largest potato export market at $4.6 million in 2019 and the removal of remaining constraints is only going to help grow our exports," he said.
“Our seed potatoes are used by Thai farmers to grow potatoes locally while processing potatoes are used to make products like potato chips.”
Processing potatoes produced in all states are permitted to import into Thailand subject to phytosanitary requirements.
Seed potatoes from South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia are currently approved by Thailand’s Department of Agriculture to be exported to Thailand.
Photo by Catarina Sousa