U.S. ‘has room’ for N.Z. beef

Press, 3 April 1980, Page 18

U.S. ‘has room’ for N.Z. beef

Although processed pork and poultry were taking a big percentage of the United States meat market, there would still be room for imported beef, said the public relations director of the American Angus Association, (Mr K. T. Evans). Pork and poultry was popular mainly because beef prices had risen very high in' the United States. However there was a limit to how much poultry could be produced and the pij producers were only making marginal profits, Mr Evans said. ... • •

He said many pork producers were expected to change to another form of animal production within the next two years.

The latest United States animal census showed only a slight increase in the number of breeding cows in the country. “Obviously, beef production in- the United States will not be increasing dramatically so there will be a place for New Zealand beef,” Mr Evans said.

However there was a need for some price stabilisation to ensure market consistency, he said.

He said the price setbacks experienced by New Zealand cattlemen (in some cases up to $lOO an animal in the last two months) were also being felt'' in the United States.Cattle prices there had fallen but not to the same degree -as in New.