Trade Minister Tim Groser has made a massive contribution to New Zealand’s success, says ExportNZ.

Mr Groser finishes his term as Trade Minister today prior to becoming New Zealand’s Ambassador to the US.

ExportNZ Executive Director Catherine Beard says the Minister has negotiated or steered valuable trade agreements for more than three decades, from the historic CER deal with Australia and numerous Asia and Pacific free trade agreements, to this year’s Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement.

“It would be hard to quantify the dollar value to New Zealand of Mr Groser’s work, but it is immense, and New Zealand exporters and others owe him a debt of gratitude.

“We can also be assured that the new Ambassador to the US will ensure that New Zealand’s trade interests there will be vigorously promoted,” Catherine Beard said.