U.S. market for lamb ‘open'

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32634, 16 June 1971, Page 3

U.S. market for lamb ‘open'

(N.Z. Press Association)

HAMILTON, June 15. The American lamb market was wide open for development by New Zealand, the Agricultural Attache to the United States Embassy (Mr R. E. Anderson) said in Hamilton today.

Speaking at a meeting of Waikato Federated Farmers’ meat and wool section executive, Mr Anderson said the Mid-West area of the United States was the most likely area for development. New York, Chicago and the West Coast, the three main areas for lamb sales, accounted for 86 per cent of total sales in the United States. But a survey had shown that about 90 per cent of the people in the Mid-West had never tasted lamb, or had eaten it only rarely. The main problem in developing this market was distribution, Mr Anderson said.

It had been established lamb was available in Mid-West supermarkets not more than ") per cent of the time. Lamb chops sold about the same price as T-bone steak, and the price would need to drop if the market were to be fully exploited. Although Americans are not large sheep eaters, an increase of lib per head in consumption would mean an increase of 100 m lb a year. “This figure could go as high as 81b per head without worrying beef, pork and poultry producers,” he said. A promotional campaign was needed to ascertain the Mid-West’s potential market value, which might not reach expectations. “But there is a trend away from traditional fqods to specialised foods, of which lamb is one. It would have as good a chance of succeeding as any othei specialist food,” Mr Anderson said.