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)