Meat Board defends lamb marketing

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33601, 1 August 1974, Page 2

Meat Board defends lamb marketing

The Minister of Agriculture (Mr Moyle) has called for . a thorough examination of New Zealand’s overseas lamb : marketing policies, but the chairman of the Meat Board (Mr C. Hilgendorf) rejects the idea that basic mistakes have been made.

“There have been too I many miscalculations in the k past,” said Mr Moyle in an J interview in London, the , Press. Association reports. “I think the Meat Board should influence the placement of lamb on overseas markets to a greater degree. We need long-term decisions : and the board is the .only i body that can make them,” J Mr Moyle said. I Mr Moyle was speaking after a day of talks in Lon'don. He spent two hours with his British counterpart I (Mr Peart) and his advisers. ! Later he had discussions with Meat Board officials. ! The lamb market in Britain is very depressed.

New Zealand’s sales fell 25 per cent in the first half of the year, and stocks rose 50 per cent to more than 30,000 tons. • Prices have fallen steadily. Mr Moyle said the British confidently predicted a more buoyant market—“both in quantities and price”—in the new season. "But there is a danger that exporters will pitch the commencement price too low,” he said. “I don’t think that would be justified, and it may produce a case for intervention by the board, as it did once before.” Mr Moyle said New’ Zealand should continue to [diversify its markets and should accelerate the export of cuts instead of car- , case meat. ! He is confident that the ! United States and Canada will take more New Zealand , lamb, and said that the [changed political situation in I Greece opened up prospects of a revival in that onceimportant market. “HINDSIGHT” Given the advantage of hindsight, it was easy for Mr Moyle to say that there had been miscalculations over New Zealand’s overseas lamb marketing, said Mr Hilgendorf in Wellington yesterday. But Mr Hilgendorf rejected the idea that there had been [any basic mistakes. “I’d go along with the ■ idea that we have to diversify from the British market, but !at present other markets are no better,” he said.

All Continental markets had become difficult since the price of beef fell.

Mr Hilgendorf disputed the idea that the North American lamb market was under-1 supplied. “Over the last few months| it has been hard enough to! sell what we already have.”' The board had encouraged diversification away from; Britain as fast as was prac-! ticable.