Agriculture

Managers and animal husbandry technicians from Guizhou ethnic minority communities will soon be training in New Zealand pastoral farming institutions - while Māori farm managers will be providing practical support on development projects such as the Dushan Pastoral Seed Demonstration Farm. An agreement to launch an inaugural agricultural exchange programme was signed in Guizhou by Te Puni Kōkiri Chief Executive Leith Comer and Guizhou Agriculture Commission Director-General Mu Degui. New Zealand and Guizhou have a 29-year relationship, built largely around agricultural and development cooperation.

Food and Beverage:

Wakatū Inc (Kono) travelled to Tianjin city in China to meet with Dynasty Ltd, one of the third largest wine distributors in China. They are close to signing a deal for premium wine to be distributed to high-end hotels and restaurants throughout China.

Forestry

Delegation members met with senior executives from the China Forest Group in Beijing. This paved the way for CNI Iwi Holdings’ (representing tribes entrusted to manage the 176,000ha Kaingaroa Forest) to meet in Shanghai with executives from China National Building and Materials (CNBM), China’s state owned enterprise responsible for wood processing and distribution. A future partnership could see major wood processing plants established in the Central North Island with the creation of hundreds of new jobs.

Fisheries:

Representatives from four Māori fishing companies already exporting into China met with key industry players. Ngāi Tahu Seafoods representative met with the company’s newly appointed Shanghai-based representative. Ngāti Kahungunu secured a deal for 5 tonnes of dried mussel meat to go to Tai’an, Shandong Province. Aotearoa Fisheries Ltd has already received an order for paua and lobster to go to an exclusive club in Guangzhou.

Māori Tourism:

New Zealand Māori Tourism and Whalewatch Kaikoura secured meetings with China Southern Airlines and a large trade wholesaler, GZL. New Zealand Māori Tourism has been invited back to Guangzhou in September this year to participate in the China International Tourism Expo, after they “stole the show” with their very popular Expo booth last year.

Māori Education Providers:

National Institute of Studies (NIS), a Maori owned English language College, signed agreements with colleges in Guangzhou, to cooperate on education, curriculum and student exchanges. Meanwhile, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa met with key industry contacts in Beijing, Guizhou and Guangzhou. Cutting edge e-Education business, Kiwa Media held significant meetings throughout China with key clients.

Plans for Māori being promoted in New Zealand House:

An innovative plan to showcase New Zealand to Chinese consumers will see Māori culture and products playing a central role. Shanghai’s NZ House (opening towards the end of 2012) will promote Kiwi goods and services and Māori entrepreneurs have been invited to take part in the opening ceremony.

Feeding the Dragon

With China’s keen interest in a safe and secure food supply, there are significant opportunities for the Māori primary industry sector businesses as well as food and beverage enterprises. There was a strong farming contingent on the mission including the Māori Trustee, Atihau Whanganui Inc, the Federation of Māori Authorities and Parininihi ki Waitotara Inc. Māori business representatives were keen to learn more about the emerging middle class Chinese consumer market.

Jiangmen City:

The Minister and delegation were welcomed to Jiangmen in Guangdong province (1.5hrs from Guangzhou). After meeting with the Mayor and provincial government leaders, delegates visited Dah Chong Hong – a huge Hong Kong Chinese logistics company once chaired by Alex Chu, who has strong connections to New Zealand and Māori business.

Connecting with those already in-market:

In Beijing and Shanghai, delegation members attended seminars that included presentations from Fonterra, NZ Natural (ice cream), Taranaki Dairy Technologies (dairy farms in China), ANZ Bank, Digital Jungle (social media gurus), NZTE’s consulting Chef Robert Oliver, and Chinese businesses trading NZ products. There were networking functions in each city bringing together a strong business network plus Kiwi expats keen to help others from home.