MEAT PRODUCTION Farmers Told To Maintain Level

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31564, 29 December 1967, Page 1

MEAT PRODUCTION Farmers Told To Maintain Level

(New Zealand Press Association} WELLINGTON, December 28. With overseas earnings from meat exports I running at a record level, farmers must maintain production next year, the chairman of the Meat Board (Sir John Ormond) said today.

It would be an unsound policy for fanners to cut back on their expansion programmes, as there was a sound marketing prospect for as far ahead in 1968 as could be judged at present, he said.

Sir John Ormond said New Zealand’s export receipts for the 11 months to the end of November equalled $211,701,000, an increase of $7,890,000 on the same period last year. This had been achieved before devaluation could have shown any effective increase in terms of New Zealand dollars.

Continuing increase in export meat production was of great importance and the producer industry was to be congratulated on its achievements, said Sir John Ormond. It was to be hoped that production would be maintained in the coming year. He said the New Zealand industry, because of the producers’ continuing reinvestment in land, would be in a good position to help fill any shortages in Britain’s meat supply and also to take up the increasing business available in other markets. Further diversification of markets was still important. He was confident that the

substantial sales expansion after the board’s promotion programme in Canada would be maintained. Similar programmes were being planned in other areas.

“Achievements of the producing and exporting industries over the last few years in creating and supplying new areas of demand for our product have enabled the industry to maintain a very high rate of growth. “We have now to develop still further and I firmly believe that provided the Gov-

ernment can maintain and extend our access to overseas markets then the trade and the board working together will develop a really great future,” said Sir John Ormond.