Archive · 25 Dec 2025
India NZ FTA: Agri Deals and Immigration Friction
India and New Zealand have made a big agreement called a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
This means they will help each other's businesses.
India will give special deals on apples, kiwifruit, and honey from New Zealand, but only if New Zealand helps India improve its farming.
They will work together to make Indian farms better.
New Zealand will also give more visas to Indian professionals, like doctors, engineers, and chefs, so they can work there.
However, some people in New Zealand don't like this idea.
They think it will take jobs away from local people.
The agreement will be checked by a special group called the Joint Agriculture Productivity Council.
India grants quota-based duty concessions to New Zealand for apples, kiwifruit, and Manuka honey.
Concessions are linked to New Zealand's delivery of agriculture productivity action plans in India.
Joint Agriculture Productivity Council (JAPC) will monitor the implementation of these plans.
New Zealand offers 5,000 temporary employment visas annually for Indian professionals in skilled occupations.
Anti-immigration sentiment in New Zealand, with concerns about the impact on local employment and immigration system integrity.
- Who
- India and New Zealand
- What
- Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with provisions for duty concessions on agricultural products and increased immigration from India
- When
- Implementation monitored by JAPC; FTA details announced on 22 December
- Where
- India and New Zealand
- Why
- To balance market access with protection of sensitive domestic agricultural sectors and to facilitate workforce mobility
Pro-FTA
Anti-FTA
Immigration
Pro-FTA
Supports increased immigration from India, citing benefits for workforce mobility and services trade.
Anti-FTA
Opposes increased immigration, arguing it threatens local employment and immigration system integrity.
Trade Benefits
Pro-FTA
Highlights the benefits of the FTA, including increased market access and economic opportunities.
Anti-FTA
Argues the FTA concedes too much, particularly on immigration, without adequate returns for New Zealanders, especially in dairy.
- Products
- Apples, kiwifruit, Manuka honey
- Quota
- 32,500 MT (first year), increasing to 45,000 MT (sixth year)
- Duty
- 25% within quota, 50% beyond quota
- Minimum Import Price (MIP)
- $1.25/kg
- Monitoring Body
- Joint Agriculture Productivity Council (JAPC)
- Current Indian Apple Imports
- 519,651.8 MT ($424.6 million)
- New Zealand Apple Imports to India
- 31,392.6 MT ($32.4 million)
- Temporary Employment Visas
- 5,000 visas annually for Indian professionals
- Work Visa Duration
- Up to 3 years for bachelor's degrees, 4 years for STEM or post-graduate degrees
- Study Visas
- 2-year work visas for students
Sources
India links duty concessions on NZ apples, kiwifruit, honey to agri action plans
Indo-New Zealand FTA, a win-win for both countries
After US, how immigration has emerged as source of friction between India and New Zealand
India-New Zealand FTA fills a long-standing economic gap
India can boost exports to New Zealand significantly after FTA: GTRI
Reducing import duty on apples under FTA with NZ anti-national: Congress
