Continental Meat Markets “Costly”

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31323, 20 March 1967, Page 16

Continental Meat Markets “Costly”

New Zealand is “competing against herself” in trying to get a share of the Continental market for meat, a newsletter of the British New Zealand Meat Company claims. “We have been disappointed with the current market prices for many weeks now,” says the latest newsletter of the company referring to the United Kingdom market, “but even so they are very much better than on the Continent. “Most of us in this country now have representatives in the Continental countries, and quite frankly we are not very impressed with the results. “We all read in the press just how much New Zealand meat and produce is going to the Continent, but feel that this does not really give a true reflection of the trade, at least so far as the demand is concerned.

“The latest country open to accept New Zealand meat is Switzerland, and during the last two months since the Swiss market has been free for Imports of New Zealand meat Swiss importers have been sitting back accepting offers from all and sundry. “The schedule for New Zealand being so low has made it possible for exporters to quote c.i.f. prices far lower than the London value, and it

seems to us that these Continental merchants merely have to sit back and wait for the lowest offer. “We might go further by saying that New Zealand is now competing against herself in these European markets, and we believe to her detriment. “We appreciate the Meat Board’s insistence that NewZealand exporters find other markets, but we are wondering what is the cost. It is right that New Zealand should try to find these overseas markets, but there is no doubt that none of them come within a mile of the United Kingdom, even taking into account the diversification levy or penalty."