U.S. Dairy Industry Gains Expanded access to Southeast Asian Markets
The U.S.โฃ dairy industry is celebrating new trade agreements and frameworks poised to significantly boost โexports to keyโค Southeast Asian nations. Recent โขdevelopments include finalized agreements with Malaysia and Cambodia, alongside framework agreements with Thailand and Vietnam, all aimed โคat strengtheningโ the position of U.S.dairy in the region’s rapidly growingโ markets.
“With these new agreements,the administration hasโค deliveredโ big wins for โAmerica’s dairy farmers,” stated Gregg doud,president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF).”Agreements โขlike those struck with Malaysia โขand Cambodia will ensure we have fairโ access to Southeast โขAsia’sโค fast-growing markets. That’s essential so that our farmersโ and cooperatives can keep doing whatโ they do best – producing top-qualityโฃ milk and dairy products for families here atโข home and around the world. We look forwardโฃ to working closely with the โขadministrationโ as they turn the new โframeworks with Vietnamโข and Thailand intoโฃ strong dealsโ as well.”
krysta Harden, president and CEO โof the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), echoed this sentiment, saying, “These agreements with Malaysia and Cambodia open new doors for U.S. dairy exports in two dynamic markets and โthe frameworks with Vietnam and thailand offer the โขpromise of more toโข come.โค By removing tariffs, addressing nontariff trade barriers and cutting red tape, the โagreements will make it easier for U.S. suppliers to โขdeliver theโค high-quality dairy ingredientsโ and foods that Southeastโฃ Asia’s โขgrowing consumers demand. USDEC appreciates the great workโฃ of the U.S. negotiating team in securingโข these crucial results.”
The agreement โwith Malaysia eliminates virtually all remaining dairy โtariffs and includes provisions for state-of-the-art protections for common cheeseโ names, assurances regarding โdairy certification, recognition ofโค the โU.S. dairy safety โsystem, streamlined facility registration requirements, โคand a commitment to basing regulations on sound science.
Similarly, the agreementโ with Cambodia provides for the full elimination โคof all tariffs on U.S. dairy exports and prohibits the establishment or maintenance of facility listing requirements for U.S.โฃ dairy products.
The framework agreements with thailand and Vietnam outline provisions for future negotiations, with the potential for similar positive outcomes regarding tariffs andโ nontariff barriers.
These markets are already significant for U.S. dairy โexports. Last year, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand โaccounted for $118 million, $127 million, and $87 โคmillion in sales, respectively. While U.S. dairy exports to Cambodia totaled $3โค millionโข inโข theโ same period, the agreement signals โpotential for growth.
These U.S. agreements are particularlyโ critically important given ongoing trade negotiations between theโ EU and Malaysia and Thailand, and also existing free trade agreements between all three nationsโ – โคMalaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand – and New Zealand and Australia, ensuring U.S. โcompetitiveness in the region.