NZ opens market to RI shoes

NZ opens market to RI shoes

JAKARTA (JP): The government of New Zealand has lifted its
countervailing duty on Indonesian footwear exports, according to
head of the National Agency for Export Development (NAFED)
Gusmardi Bustami.

Gusmardi said on Tuesday the lifting of the antidumping duty
at the end of last month would help Indonesia increase its
footwear exports to New Zealand.

"It (the lifting of the duty) has made New Zealand's market
more open to our footwear products," he was quoted by Antara as
saying.

"Shoe companies here should grab this opportunity," he added.

According to him, New Zealand imposed the countervailing duty
on Indonesian, Chinese and Thai footwear products in July 1996.

New Zealand has also lifted the antidumping duty on footwear
products from China and Thailand.

Indonesian footwear exports to New Zealand dropped to US$4.3
million last year from $5.1 million in 1999.

In the first quarter of this year, footwear exports to the
country also plunged to $678,000 compared to $1.2 million in the
same period last year.(05)