The delegation of the Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives (JA-Zenchu) to Canada, headed by JA-Zenchu Vice President Toshiaki Tobita, met with President Ron Bonnett of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, the country’s largest farmers’ organization, on Monday, September 16. The JA-Zenchu delegation is visiting Canada to gather information on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade negotiations.In the meeting, JA-Zenchu and the Canadian federation reconfirmed the importance of protecting various forms of agriculture in each country when liberalizing trade systems. They agreed to continue urging each of their countries’ governments to adhere to their policy of keeping tariffs on key agricultural products in the TPP negotiations.
The JA-Zenchu delegation headed by Vice President Toshiaki Tobita holds a meeting with Ron Bonnett, President of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, and other officials in Ottawa, Canada, on Monday, Sept. 16.
According to JA-Zenchu officials, Bonnett stressed the importance of tariffs to enable different forms of farming to coexist in each of the countries. Referring to Canada’s key agricultural products including chicken, eggs and dairy products, Bonnett explained that the Canadian government has pledged to maintain tariffs on the products and not accept any reduction of tariffs or expansion of low-tariff rate import quotas, the officials said.
After the meeting, Tobita told reporters that Canada possesses clear negotiation policies, while Japanese farmers are worried because the Japanese government’s policies on how to protect the key agricultural products are unclear, although the Liberal Democratic Party and the Diet’s committees have adopted resolutions asking the government to exempt the products from tariff elimination.
On the same day, the delegation also held meetings with executives of other agricultural organizations dealing with key products, such as the Dairy Farmers of Canada. The Canadian executives reportedly expressed concern over the TPP talks which are proceeding with member countries proposing high trade liberalization rates – the percentage of items subject to tariff cuts – based on the basic principle of abolishing all tariffs.
Referring to Japanese media reports that the government is considering accepting tariff reductions on rice destined for processing in order to raise its liberalization rate, one Canadian executive said it is implausible, as it differs largely from the Japanese government’s original stance.
The Canadian agricultural industry hopes to increase its Japan-bound exports of certain products such as pork, wheat and beef, but officials of Canadian agricultural groups who met with the JA-Zenchu delegation reportedly showed understanding for the need to protect key agricultural products.
Agricultural groups of both countries agreed to share information on the TPP negotiations and monitor the talks, while seeking further strategic cooperation.
The JA-Zenchu delegation was scheduled to meet with Canadian negotiators of the TPP talks on Tuesday, September 17, to exchange opinions concerning negotiations on tariffs and disclosure of information to the public.
(Sept. 18, 2013)