Launch of Strategic Food Partnership - Ms Grace Fu

Kia Ora, and thank you so much for welcoming me and my delegation.

Last year, a group of Singapore delegates visited New Zealand to examine opportunities for food security and food technologies. They found the products to be wonderful. But the landed cost in Singapore is something that needs further work. I believe that if there is a shared objective, alongside with supply chain, Singapore and New Zealand can both benefit. Singapore has the potential to be that transshipment hub for New Zealand to reach many more new markets in a cost effective and expansive way. That is the goal which I want to work towards.

Talking with some Kiwi businesses over the last few days has given me optimism for many shared and new opportunities in food security, safety and sciences. This is especially poignant as we are celebrating 60 years of diplomatic relations.

We had some discussions in between events, and my colleague, Minister Chan, who was looking after trade during COVID-19 recalled how he was deeply involved in coordinating essential supply exchanges between our countries when borders were closing down on us. During this period when confidence was waning fast for everyone, we found trusting relations between both countries and governments. We were able to decide very quickly on ensuring essential supplies were exported both ways, which is a real sign of a trusting friendship.

Singapore wants to extend that friendship further. The foundation has been formed for us to build many more business, as well as economic and political relations. Singapore imports 90% of the food that we consume, and we have always found New Zealand to be a reliable source of safe food.

In this context, I am very happy today to be launching the Strategic Food Partnership with Minister McClay. This partnership provides a structured framework for cooperation across a range of shared food system priorities, including:

• the enhancement of our food systems resilience and supply chain continuity,

• facilitation of trade in high quality, safe and sustainable agri-food products,

• as well as promoting regulatory cooperation, including on novel foods and biosecurity.

The governments and regulators will do our best to harmonise and make the process as seamless as possible. But we need the businesses to come along and invest their time to develop the market. We need all parties along the value chain, including our logistics players, to similarly look at ways to improve the whole trade process so that New Zealand farmers can get the best price and widest market as possible.

The Singapore government will do our very best to enhance this so that we get the food security that we need. We will do our very best to make sure that the food safety standards, are complied with. But we also urge businesses to come along with us to see Singapore, Southeast Asia and the rest of Asia. This is a potential large market with a rising middle class that is waiting to taste your beautiful, nutritious and high-quality foods.

I look forward to a year of successful partnership at both the political as well as business level. Thank you very much.