Drop in beef sales in U.S.

Press, 10 June 1977, Page 14

Drop in beef sales in U.S.

NZPA Washington New Zealand landed 49,881.000 pounds of beef in the United States in the first three months of 1977, almost 20m pounds less than in the same period last year, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Several other countries shipping to the United States were also below their 1976 totals. Over-all imports for the first quarter totalled 297.5 M pounds against 357 M pounds last year. Australia shipped 128 M pounds in the first quarter compared with 184 M pounds last year. One of the nations exporting more in the first three months of 1977 was Canada, with 29.3 M pounds, up! sharply from 19.6 M pounds a[ year ago.

| New Zealand’s March tot (was 19,351,000 pounds, dow substantially from th 31,707,000 pounds landed ii March 1976. High shipments later i> the year are expected to ofl set low first-quarter totals. New Zealand is permitte< to export 268.3 M pounds o beef to the United Statethis year under th< voluntary - restraint system This is a slight increase or 1976’s figure of 259.8 M pounds.

The beef-export statisticfor the first three months o 1977 are (al! figures ir thousands of pounds): Aus tralia 128,351, Belize 38 Canada 29,388, Costa Ries 30,421. Dominican Republic 1320, El Salvador 1406. Hon duras 14,217, Mexico 14,696 New Zealand 49,881, Nicar agua 16,342 and Panama 1649.