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Assistant Secretary of State sees market expansion in SE Asia

The Biden administration is working to reduce tariffs on U.S ag exports and expand market access in Southeast Asia.

“Whatever we do, we’re always going to fight for market access.”

Daniel Kritenbrink, Assistant Secretary of State of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, says the administration didn’t need a free trade agreement to lower the beef tariff with Vietnam, but ““A lot of other countries have free trade agreements that are coming online, and those free trade agreements include in them tariff reduction. Unless the United States works very aggressive at that, our exporters will be at a disadvantage.”

He says several countries in Southeast Asia including Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand are wanting to import more US ag products, “When you think about how young these societies they are and how young they are, those markets are just going to continue to expand.”

Those countries represent the world’s 4^th largest economy.

Kritenbrink, a Nebraska native, made his remarks during the 2022 Nebraska Ag and Economic Development Summit, attended by Brownfield’s Kellan Heavican.