THE AUSTRALIAN grains industry, together with the Department of Agriculture, Water and Energy (DAWE) is working to ensure non tariff measures (NTMs) such as phytosanitary requirements are used correctly and do not act as a barrier to trade.
Grain Trade Australia (GTA) chief executive Pat O'Shannassy said the grains industry, along with a number of other Australian agricultural exporters, had been impacted by trade partners using non-tariff measures (NTMs) as a trade distortion after not being able to use tariffs due to free trade agreements (FTAs).
NTM is a term used to describe regulatory tools and policy measures, other than customs tariffs, that have the potential to effect the international trade in goods.
Mr O'Shannassy said the majority of cases NTMs were a legitimate requirement by the buyer, used to protect their consumers or their own agricultural industries from pest incursions, but in some cases they are unjustified and can act as barriers to trade."
Andrew Weidemann, Grain Producers Australia (GPA) chairman said NTMs had been an influence in the selling of many of Australia's major grain commodities.
"We have had issues with maximum residue limits (MRLs) with barley, there was a problem selling canola to China because of their concern about the presence of blackleg and there have been various issues with pulses and the treatments used to control grain storage pests.
"There is no doubt there are a lot of reasonable concerns around biosecurity and that is fine but we don't want to see these measures used as a bargaining chip in sales."
DAWE and GTA have commenced work on a project to bring together the grains sector and government to identify NTMS throughout the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) region and said reducing unnecessary NTMs would be beneficial for both exporters and importers.
The first assistant secretary of the DAWE biosecurity plant division, Marion Healy said there were big benefits in a more consistent approach to NTMs for both sides of the supply chain in the APEC region.
Benefits could include reduced costs, faster border clearance, greater confidence in food safety systems, building capacity and technical support for developing economies," Dr Healy said.
Mr O'Shannassy said from a grains industry point of view there several key stumbling blocks identified.
"The survey identified key issues such as differing or missing Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs), standards of foreign materials, weed seeds and pests with differing and low tolerance levels, and a lack of standardised guidelines and systems for sampling," he said.
He also said standards surrounding genetically modified (GM) produce, particularly relevant in Australia in regards to canola, was highlighted by survey respondents.
Mr Weidemann said eliminating the risk of inappropriately used NTMs would provide the production sector with much greater certainty when it came to making planting decisions.
"Going into planting knowing there is not the risk of a big drop in price because a major export partner has pulled out due to some form of NTM would give great peace of mind to growers."
Gregor Heard
Gregor Heard is ACM's national grains industry reporter, based in Horsham, Victoria. He has a wealth of knowledge surrounding the cropping sector through his 15 years in the role. Prior to that he was with the Fairfax network as a reporter with Stock & Land. Some of the major issues he has reported on during his time with the company include the deregulation of the export wheat market, the introduction of genetically modified crops and the fight to protect growers better from grain trader insolvencies. Still involved with the family farm he is passionate about rural Australia and its people and hopes to use his role to act as an advocate for those involved in the grain sector.
Gregor Heard is ACM's national grains industry reporter, based in Horsham, Victoria. He has a wealth of knowledge surrounding the cropping sector through his 15 years in the role. Prior to that he was with the Fairfax network as a reporter with Stock & Land. Some of the major issues he has reported on during his time with the company include the deregulation of the export wheat market, the introduction of genetically modified crops and the fight to protect growers better from grain trader insolvencies. Still involved with the family farm he is passionate about rural Australia and its people and hopes to use his role to act as an advocate for those involved in the grain sector.
