Lamb exports to M.E. ‘promising’

Press, 22 May 1978, Page 22

Lamb exports to M.E. ‘promising’

From JOHN ROSS in London The future for exports of New Zealand lamb to the Middle East is promising. accordine to rhe Meat Board’s Middle East adviser (Mr R. W. Munro). Mr Munro, who recently returned from a four-week tour of Kuwait, Bahrain. Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Al Khobar. Saudi Arabia, and Jeddar, said that New Zealand was overcoming the obstacles to its lamb trade with the Arab States. Almost 40.000 tonnes of New Zealand lamb was exported to the Middle East last year, competing, with chilled or frozen lamb from Bulgaria, Rumania, Yugoslavia, and Australia, and live animals from many countries, and poultry.

Mr Munro said that ! New Zealand had to ship its lamb further than ns i competitors, had to pene- 1 trate a market which hat | been developed for many j years by Australia, ant I had to supply much Jeanet 1 lamb than was sent, fo> I example, to Britain. The biggest complain’ i from Arab importers had | been the uncertainty ant | irregularity of supply i from New Zealand but re j cent improvements in the shipping service had easer | that problem. In spite of the affluent of the region, the Arabs were anxious to get the best possible value for money. While Australian lamb was cheaper. New Zealand lamb was establishing a reputation for good quality.