N.Z. exclusion helps Germans

Press, 13 April 1978, Page 18

N.Z. exclusion helps Germans

NZPA London The gradual barring of New Zealand from the Common Market proved a boon for West German farmers last year, according to recently released statistics. Before joining the European Economic Community, Britain bought relatively little food and drink from West Germany, the “Daily Telegraph” reports. In 1971, food and drink imports from West Germany totalled about 110,000 tonnes, but last year the imports reached more than 730,000 tonnes. The paper’s commercial correspondent said that E.E.C. clamps on New Zealand butter and cheese imports, and on imports of cooked meats from Poland, had caused much of the boost, which included

28,000 tonnes of butter, 5000 tonnes of cooked meat and sausages, 47 million litres of beer, and 238 million litres of wine. Meanwhile, an official survey of British eating habits shows that British families ate more but drank less last year. Soaring beer consumption during the record hot summer of 1976 dropped to more normal levels last year and big increases in taxes of wines and spirits also pushed down consumption.

Meat consumption stayed steady but fish, butter, and margarine dropped. Cheese, yoghurt, eggs, and vegetable con a sumption rose, partly boosted by a sharp drop in vegetable prices which fell to less than half the 1976 level.