The Press FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1961. Advice On Meat Exports

Press, Volume C, Issue 29673, 17 November 1961, Page 14

The Press FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1961. Advice On Meat Exports

All concerned with New Zealand’s meat industry, and particularly the Meat Board, should heed two pieces of advice they were given this week. The first, from Mr N. Law, director of the Meat Research Institute, was to stop talking and thinking about “ fat “ lamb ” when what the customer wants is not fat but meat. The second, from an American import agent, Mr R. M. Hays, was to follow Australia’s lead in the American market for prepackaged meat. Mr Law’s advice is so elementary that it is surprising that it should have to be given. To talk always of fat lamb is to handicap the New Zealand product needlessly in overseas markets. Because the term is more commonly used within New Zealand, however, it is here that the greatest damage may be done. American buyers, and others, complain not that New Zealand lamb is called fat but that it too often is fat. The sooner the industry, from the paddock to the counter, starts to think in terms of “ lamb ” the better, even if the description is applied to a somewhat older sheep. From the time Sir William Polson returned to New Zealand 10 years ago to advocate the prepackaging of meat exports the Meat Board has been less than enthusiastic about the practice. This is unfortun-

v ate, because the board con , t trols the export of meat If ’ it is true that Australia 1 (with a product of lower 0 quality) is beating New e Zealand in the American :, market the board should r consider how far its con- - servatism is responsible, g Meat exporters have shown t greater interest. Prepackage ing is important in meeting t consumer preferences. It a will become increasingly important in the convenient o shipment of New Zealand i exports. For instance, exr porters now spend a good r deal on freight charges for - the carriage of bone. They ’ will not be able to do so e when air freight opens up f new markets all over the » world, a day that need not - be too far distant if enter- . prise is encouraged. The s benefits of air transport are i not limited to the market- ? ing of fresher meat. The » present long time-lag from i the purchase of stock to the - sale of meat, tying up huge i amounts of capital for t months and putting the » whole industry at the i mercy of market changes, , would be eliminated, f Another advantage of pref packaging is that different I cuts can be marketed to the . best advantage in different ■ countries with individual > preferences. The Meat > Board should not allow its ■ fondness for selling large ; shipments of carcases in i well-established markets to > prevent the exploration of promising new outlets.