Fewer Lambs To Australia

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31802, 5 October 1968, Page 14

Fewer Lambs To Australia

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, October 4. In the last four weeks, fewer than 350 lambs a week have been sent to Australia from New Zealand. Australian prices are no longer attracting New Zealand exporters or encouraging further shipments of New Zealand lamb, said the Meat Board today.

“In spite of publicity given to New Zealand lamb entering Australia during past months this represented only a quarter of 1 per cent of the total Australian lamb kill in the 11 months ended last May," said the chairman of the board (Sir John Ormond) today. Australian lamb killing amounted to 14,438,000 carcases while New Zealand lamb landed in Australia during that time totalled only 36,000 carcases. Since May 34,000 carcases have been sent to Australia, but much of this went in the one month of June when there was a demand for them on the Australian market. Since then exports have declined sharply and in the last month only 1300 lambs were sent.

“I doubt if any lamb at all will go this week, but even if some small shipment is made it will have no effect on the market. “It is not our wish or intention to undermine the lamb market in Australia for the Australian producer. “What we wish to be able to do is to supplement the market by sending lamb when it is needed to those localities where it is in short supply,” said Sir John Ormond.