Mahia te mahi, hei painga mō te Iwi!

Te Taumata has spent much of the last two years focused on planning for new Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with large market blocks of the world.

China is a hugely important market for Māori products like forestry and wood, fishing and seafood, horticulture and agriculture, and it will remain so for Māori exporters. Our strategy was to mitigate the risk of Māori being over-exposed in this large market, hence our strategy to ensure other large markets for our exporters.

In the last 12 months, Te Taumata has supported new FTA with the UK and the European Union, two massive markets for our exporters, and we are now working on the new agreement with the US and Indo-Pacific, as well as updating the CPTPP trade agreement.

“As a nation we are nearing peak-FTA, meaning Aotearoa will have comprehensive trade agreements in place with all of the world’s major markets,” says Te Taumata Chairman, Chris Karamea Insley.

“So now, our focus is shifting to strategic planning to ensure we achieve excellent trade outcomes and ensure new trade opportunities are a reality for Māori. As a result, this will be at the centre of this year’s Regional Trade Hui agenda.

“Bringing together Māori businesses and indigenous leaders, Ministers and government officials, our hui promises diverse and robust kōrero that will lead to tangible outcomes for our people.

“Nō reira koutou mā, nau mai, haramai – please reserve 26 July 2023 in your calendar for the first Te Taumata regional trade hui of 2023, which will be held at Ōrākei Marae in Tāmaki Makaurau. We are currently in the process of confirming the agenda, but there is no doubt that it will be another significant hui to support Māori trade,” says Mr Insley.

More information about the hui and formal invites will be sent out closer to the time.