The New Zealand-India Free Trade Agreement has passed through Parliament by 93 votes to 29.

Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay says the scale of the majority is as telling as the result.

“It’s a real sense of accomplishment, I think, for all of New Zealand,” he says.

The agreement enters into force once both countries ratify it, and McClay wants that done before the end of the year.

“If we can get it in force this side of Christmas, we will get a tariff reduction.”

Wine tariffs would fall from 150% to 100%, then to 75% on 1 January.

The deal secures inroads on dairy and a review a year after it takes force.

“Within a decade we’ll have a lot more dairy in there,” he says.

CountryWide CONNECT with Andy Thompson & Sarah Perriam-Lampp is our daily rural show livestreamed from 11am-1pm. Visit country-wide.co.nz on how to watch/listen or download the CountryWide CONNECT mobile app, available on Apple iOS and Android.

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