It's not known exactly how beneficial the World Trade Organisation deal signed in Kenya over the weekend will be for New Zealand.

World Trade Organisation ministers have set 2020 as an end date for export subsidy use by developed countries and 2022/3 as the end date for key developing countries. 

LISTEN: Export New Zealand Chief Executive Catherine Beard speaks with Jack Tame

Association executive director Kimberly Crewther acknowledged export subsidies have been one of the dairy industry's most feared trade distortions.

"It creates a level of quite unfair competition for our producers and pas experience has shown that it has a significant depressing impact on global dairy market prices."

But Federated Farmers said the deal doesn't do much for production subsidiaries, and they want the latter.

JMIS Limited's Andrew Kelleher said the details aren't clear yet on whether this removes governments' ability to subsidise domestic products, which compete with our exports.

"We've got to compete with the prices that are being paid within internal economies and if we've still got domestic subsidies there, well that's still a barrier."

But Trade Minister Todd McClay any market in the world where farmers are getting subsidies from their Governments and then compete against New Zealand farmers, makes it difficult for this country.

He said it's been a long hard road to get agreement on the removal of dairy export subsidies.

"Agricultural export subsidies could be worth as much as $16 billion. It's unclear as to how much New Zealand will actually benefit."

Export New Zealand is happy with a deal. New Zealand doesn't put subsidies on domestic growers, while other countries do. Chief executive Catherine Beard said when you do that, it sends the wrong signal to growers - and you can end up with agricultural stockpiles which then ends in price crashes.

Beard said getting rid of those subsidies elsewhere puts us back on par.

"It just puts everything on a much more level playing field and it means that the countries that do things best focus on that and I think it's a good opportunity for New Zealand."