Japan To Curb Mutton Imports

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29848, 14 June 1962, Page 17

Japan To Curb Mutton Imports

(N Z.P.A. •Reuter—Copyright) TOKYO, June 13.

Japan planned to curb imports of New Zealand mutton to relieve pressure on the local meat market, the Japanese news agency, Kyodo, reported today.

The news agency said the Japanese Government today asked the Japan Ham Sausage Industry Co-operative Union to take voluntary steps to regulate mutton imports from New Zealand.

Industry sources tonight said it did appear that the Japanese Government was attempting to restrict New Zealand mutton imports. They said any such move would go against Japan's announced trade liberalisation programme.

The Kyodo report said: “The Ministry is also expected to make shortly a request to New Zealand through diplomatic channels that it reduce mutton exports

to Japan. 'lnformed sources said that the market price of imported mutton was about half that of local pork and that about 90 per cent, of the imported mutton was being used for making ‘ham’ sausage. “The informants said Japanese sausage makers were willing to co-operate with the Government in the suggested curbing of mutton imports.

"Under a mutton importregulating plan tentatively fixed by the Ministry, each meat-processing firm in the nation will be required to i eport to the Ministry eyequarter year the amount of mutton scheduled b. imported in each period. •The Ministry authorities. w?h cross-reference to the prevailing pork demand and supply conditions at home, will fix mutton imports in the period. "They also said that in suite of the fact that mutton is an item whose import into

Japan has already been liberalised, the import of mutton from now on would be placed under Government control.

“Japan and New Zealand signed in March this year a trade agreement aimed at expansion of trade between the two countries.

“The informants would not provoke the New Zealand Government. But the treaty carried a clause providing that if the import of mutton from New Zealand puts undue pressure on the Japanese meat market. New Zealand would control its mutton exports to Japan.” During 1961. Japan imported 22.663 tons of mutton. The greater part came from New Zealand.