GLOBAL trade in animal protein is expected to increase through 2017.
However trade agreements remain hard to reach and even when secured technical barriers often persist and currency fluctuations distort competitiveness.
That’s the finding in a new report from big agribusiness operation Rabobank on the global outlook for animal protein.
Governments will likely focus more on bilateral trade agreements, given the difficulties in securing plurilateral agreements, the report says.
Rabobank global animal protein strategist Justin Sherrard, based in Utrecht, Netherlands, said all trade agreements take time to develop and usually extend beyond one political cycle.
“For bilateral trade deals, this means maintaining policy continuity across two countries, which can be difficult,” he said.
“And moving into the plurilateral trade deal arena means aligning policy interests across multiple countries and multiple political cycles, adding degrees of difficulty to trade negotiations.
“The expected failure of the Trans Pacific Partnership (with the new United States government entering office) serves to remind of these difficulties.
“As a result it is hard to see governments pushing further in this direction in the near term.”
Shan Goodwin
Shan Goodwin steers ACM’s national coverage of the beef industry. Shan has worked as a journalist for 30 years, the majority of that with agricultural publications. She spent many years as The Land’s North Coast reporter and has visited beef properties and stations throughout the country and overseas. She treats all breeds equally. Contact 0427686187. E: s.goodwin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Shan Goodwin steers ACM’s national coverage of the beef industry. Shan has worked as a journalist for 30 years, the majority of that with agricultural publications. She spent many years as The Land’s North Coast reporter and has visited beef properties and stations throughout the country and overseas. She treats all breeds equally. Contact 0427686187. E: s.goodwin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
