WIDER INTEREST IN N.Z. MEATS

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30453, 29 May 1964, Page 11

WIDER INTEREST IN N.Z. MEATS

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.)

LONDON, May 28. Many inquiries and orders for New Zealand meat of all types—beef, mutton, lamb and offal—have been made this year by European and Middle Eastern countries, Egypt among them. The reasons include the shortage of beef and higher living standards. During the last five years the New Zealand Government and the Meat Producers’ Board, with the awakening

interest of some of the meat firms, have been active by exhibiting in trade fairs—in Cologne, The Hague, Amsterdam, Brussels, Bologna, Milan, Salonika, and, last week, Gothenberg. They have encountered several obstacles—apathy, government regulations and national prejudices. Italy and Greece have been buying New Zealand beef, veal, mutton and some lamb. One Swedish importer believes there is a market for lamb in his country. All inquiries have been useful to the meat trade, but a main New Zealand interest is in increasing the sale of her lamb outside Britain from the long term point of view. Developing new markets is not a rapid process, especially in Europe where cuts are different fat is anathema, and publicity is needed to educate the housewives to cook a “new” kind of meat.

The cry against fat is not new, either in Europe or Britain. Today the leaner types of lamb are selling at a premium over other grades. This seems to be one of the main directioris in which New Zealand can ipcrease the popularity of her lamb. Some opinions are adamant that the answer lies in breeding changes.

Wool Clearance. There was an almost total clearance of 16,750 bales in the Brisbane wool-sale today with widespread competition from Japan, the Continent, Britain and Eastern Europe. Values tended in buyers’ favour.— Brisbane, May 28.