Senator the Hon Murray Watt, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry recently held a series of meetings in Rome with ministers from the EU, China, the Pacific, Americas and Africa to discuss trade priorities and enhance international cooperation.

This included seeking to remove current trade impediments for products such as wine into China, and pursuing a better deal for Australian agriculture under the proposed Australia-EU Free Trade Agreement. Minister Watt also engaged in meetings relating to the promotion of free, fair and open trade with like-minded countries, avoiding a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to sustainable agriculture, and building on relationships with Australia’s Pacific neighbours.

Minister Watt was in Rome to attend the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Ministerial Conference, and then travelled to New Delhi and Mumbai to meet with key Indian ministerial counterparts.

In Rome, Minister Watt led Australia’s delegation at the biennial FAO Conference, and gave an address on Australia’s work to improve water efficiency, as well as challenging countries to deliver more open, transparent and rules-based trade to remove harmful subsidies and improve food security globally.

After travelling to New Delhi, the minister advocated for improved agricultural market access under the Australia-India Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), and discussed how to expand on existing cooperation efforts to maximise benefits of trade for both countries.

The minister and an industry delegation also met Indian importers and business associates to explore opportunities to broaden, strengthen the trade relationship with India.

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