Forum On Market Prospects

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29983, 19 November 1962, Page 13

Forum On Market Prospects

(HZ. Press Association) PALMERSTON NORTH, Nov. 18. The need for New Zealand to find new markets would continue, whether or not Britain entered the European Economic Council, the marketing director of the New Zealand Dairy Board (Mr S. T. Murphy) told a public affairs

forum yesterday.

The most promising region for the development of new markets in the foreseeable future was Asia, and Japan was easily the most important of all the Asian markets, he said.

The forum, attended by 50 persons, was organised to give Manawatu residents an opportunity of discussing Britain’s possible entry into the Common Market by the Palmerston North branch of the National Party.

Discussion centred more on counteracting the probable effects of British entry—by increasing trade with Asia — than on the Common Market.

‘There are some obstacles to overcome before our trade with Japan can freely expand,” said Mr Murphy. “Two-way trade must be encouraged. New Zealand is selling about £15,000,000 worth of goods a year to Japan and buying £8.000,000 worth. “Efforts must be continued to persuade the Japanese to reduce high tariffs on imparted dairy produce, which are 35 per cent, on butter and cheese.

“Butter, chiefly Japanese, retails at 7s Id a pound and imports are very tightly controlled.

Dr. P. D. Sears, director of the grasslands division of the D.5.1.R., said Japan had a

very efficient industrial setup and a very backward agricultural sector. Until protective barriers were reduced to enable increased industrial exports, Japan would continue to rely to a large extent on its own agricultural production.

The Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Marshall) said it seemed inevitable that some form of international

co-operation would be necessary for the orderly disposal of agricultural surpluses. At the moment the conferences at Brussels were dealing with the general termj for marketing agricultural products from temperate regions. The bargaining on New Zealand’s special case was yet to come.

After the addresses groups were formed to discuss the topics raised and to prepare questions for the main speakers.