Urgent Need To Expand U.K., European Markets

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31320, 16 March 1967, Page 12

Urgent Need To Expand U.K., European Markets

“The Press" Special Service WELLINGTON, March 15.

The pursuit of New Zealand’s interests in Britain and Europe was the country’s top priority this year, said the chairman of the Meat Board (Sir John Ormond) today.

In his address to the halfyearly meeting of the electoral committee, Sir John Ormond said that for the last six years or more the board had sought to draw the attention of the New Zealand and the British people to the

problems involved for New Zealand should Britain enter the European Common Community on the basis of acceptance of the common agricultural policy of the E.E.C. “We think that by now the work of others as well as ourselves in this field has given everyone an awareness of the special position of New Zealand. “If Britain does enter the Common Market, arrangements for continued access for New Zealand meat will be vital to our future. We are right behind our Minister of Overseas Trade in the work he has done to bring New Zealand’s special problems to the notice of the British and European Governments,” said Sir John Ormond.

“New Zealand must now go much further. We believe that people in Britain and Europe, even many of those who are most anxious for our welfare, are not fully aware of the great depth of the problem for New Zealand. Our trade in meat and dairy produce is vital to our economy. “We propose to give the Government every possible assistance in representing our position overseas. We believe we must press even more strongly for access to European markets. If we can gain access on reasonable terms we can sell.

“Quite apart from consideration of New Zealand’s special problems, it is evident that in this supposedly enlightened age it does not make sense for the industrial nations of Europe to stand between their peoples and the flow of essential meat supplies from those countries which can most economically produce them. “Europe cannot build a sound basis for stability and growth in international trade if it maintains rigid barriers against exports from the agricultural exporters”, said Sir John Ormond. He said that the United States with its sponsorship of the Kennedy Round discussion in GA.T.T., had been making a positive effort to gain some liberalisation of the trade in agricultural products. If the Kennedy Round did not produce results, then New Zealand must make firm representations in those areas where she could reasonably expect to achieve progress. Here again the board would give the Government all the support it could. Sir John Ormond congratulated the Government on negotiations which had led to access for lamb to Switzerland.

Confidence On Lamb Targets “The Press" Special Service WELLINGTON, Mar. 15. He was confident that meat exporters would achieve the initial target set for diversification of lamb markets, said the chairman of the Meat Board (Sir John Ormond) today. “There was much earnest discussion before the diversification scheme for lamb was introduced at the start of the present season. I would like to congratulate the meat operators on the spirit in which they have applied themselves to the objectives of this scheme. I am confident they will achieve the initial goal,” said Sir John Ormond.

“You will have noticed recent reports of the progress being made in Canada, our chief market for lamb outside Britain. Our techniques of promotion have built a market in Canada for lamb which hitherto had been falling away. Our progress has attracted the attention of our Australian competitors and the total volume of lamb offered in this market substantially increased during 1966. “New Zealand sales continue to increase and the growth of general interest in lamb is proving the wisdom of this country’s development policy. We propose to extend our promotion activities in Canada,” said Sir John Ormond.