New Australia-UAE free trade agreement will ‘open doors for producers’: National Farmers’ Federation

Australia’s newly inked free trade agreement with the United Arab Emirates will save the nation’s farmers at least $50 million a year, according to the National Farmers’ Federation. Federal Trade Minister Don Farrell signed the pact with counterpart Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi on Wednesday in a move that will remove tariffs on more than 99 per cent of Australia’s exports to the UAE. These include key products such as meat, dairy, grains and oilseeds, chickpeas, lentils, nuts, horticulture and honey. NFF president David Jochinke said the agreement — the first trade deal between Australia and a Middle Eastern country — would “open new doors” for Australian farmers. “The agreement will eliminate tariffs on key Australian exports, saving farmers an estimated $50m annually,” he said. “Crucially, this improved market access to the UAE will improve trade diversification and resilience for Australian producers.” Senator Farrell said significant investment was expected to flow before the end of the year. “The UAE is an important export market for Australian products — it’s our largest market in the Middle East, with two-way trade valued at $9.9 billion in 2023,” he said. “The UAE also acts as a distribution hub for the Gulf region. “This is a great deal for Australian farmers and producers — over 99 per cent of Australian products will enter the UAE tariff-free.” Canola seeds are Australia’s largest agricultural export to the UAE, topping $741m last year, and red meat exports were worth more than $480m. Australian exporters of both products will receive duty-free access from day one when the FTA comes into force in mid-2025. The deal is expected to prompt a flood of investment from the Gulf nation’s multi-trillion-dollar sovereign wealth fund. Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said the UAE was an “extremely lucrative market” and an important trading hub for the wider Middle East region. “It is the first FTA to contain a standalone chapter on sustainable agriculture and food systems, recognising agriculture’s essential role in ensuring food security, driving climate resilience, emissions reductions and other environmental outcomes,” she said. “It also ensures that sustainability measures are not applied with a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach and do not create barriers to trade for our world-class agricultural exports.” Australia exported more than 70 per cent of its agricultural, fisheries and forestry production to 169 markets globally last financial year, Ms Collins said. Mr Jochinke said the deal would allow Australia to capitalise on its global reputation for high-quality, sustainable produce. The Federal Government is also keen to diversify critical mineral exports to the UAE, with Australia home to some of the world’s biggest deposits of rare earths.