N.Z. Accused Of Dumping Beef

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30125, 8 May 1963, Page 16

N.Z. Accused Of Dumping Beef

(New Zealand Press Association) MASTERTON, May 7. Cattlemen and meat packers in the United States are concerned at the apparent battle between New Zealand and Australia for a bigger share of the rich American market, says Mr Nelson R. Crow, writing in the "Western Livestock Journal.”

Mr Crow, with a party of American cattlemen, visited the Wairarapa last year during a New Zealand tour arranged by the “Western Livestock Journal.” “Wholesale meet men say then there is no sense in the d >wn under countries pricing beef far below United States prices. Boned imported cow beef is actually being offered at prices fully six cents a lb below the current United States market on similar grade," Mr Crow writes. “Imported boned cow beef is being offered at Chicago at 35J-33 cents in the face of 411-42 cents actually being paid for United States beef of essentially the same quality and condition. " ’What it means.’ commented one ma.i in the whole-

sale beef market, ’is that Australia and New Zealand, in their zeal to compete with each other, are dumping their beef on our market and threatening our price structure They do not need to offer beef at such sharp discounts under our United States market. They could just as well get the United States prices for their beef, but they choose to fight bach other and ruin their own market as well as ours.' “Serious Charges” “These are serious charges made by a man who is handling both United States and imported beef,” says Mr Crow. “It means that meat boards of the two countries are not only hurting their own producers but are undermining any good will that now exists between the cattlemen of the two countries. “In spite of the competition from Australia and New Zealand the American cow market continues on a firm basis, largely because American cattlemen appear to be holding back their cows from the market. “Partly this is due to the sharply-decreased inventory of iterry cattle in this country Mea' men say that imports of so-called ’manufacturing’ beef are actually needed in this country But what no-one can understand, including many cattlemen in Australia and New Zeeland, is the action of the meat boards of the two countries in selling beef in this coun’ry below the established wholesale market.” (The writer is incorrect m his reference to beef being marketed by the New Zealand Meat Board The marketing is in the bands of private companies !

Cordial Maker*.—About 100 delegates attended the official opening of the forty-second annual conference of the Dominion Association of Carbonated Water and Cordial Manufacturers to Palmerston North yesterday.—(PA.)