Japanese pork officials have been indicating they’d be willing to reduce their tariffs by 50 percent in order to reach a Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement. Market access and tariff issues have been the stumbling block in the deal. South Dakota Pork Producers President Lester Moeller says a 50 percent reduction isn’t enough, Japan and all the countries in the TPP need to reduce tariffs to zero in order to have a true free trade agreement.
Moeller says reducing tariffs to zero would mean a 20 percent growth in exports of U.S. pork to Pacific Rim Countries. Moeller says the other problem with giving into a partial tariff reduction is that it opens the door for other countries to demand the same.
Moeller says the most important thing that needs to be done for TPP to move forward is for Congress to approve Trade Promotion Authority for the President.
