Brewers to press again for curbs
The Brewers’ Association will again ask the Government to restrict access for Australian canned beer, which is gaining a growing share of the New. Zealand market. Sales of New Zealand canned beer in the six months to June 30 had fallen by 31 per. cent compared with, figures for the same period last year, said the. president of the asso« elation; .Mr. W., S. Otto, after its annual meeting in Christchurch at the. weekend. 1 In the six months since Australian' premium beers had been granted unlimited access, their share, of the New Zealand market had trebled to 33 per cent. The c.i.f. value of beer imports had risen from $350,840 to more than $1
million while New Zealand brewers faced a drop of almost $3 million in canned-beer sales for the year. If the Government allowed that trend to continue it would virtually be handing that sector of the market “on a plate” to the' Australian brewers. Such a position was not enjoyed by the New Zealand industry in its export markets. In what had been a growth market, with total canned-beer sales last year of $7.7 million, the • only prospect now was for a substantial rundown? of commitments in staff, plant, and capital for canned-beer production. The basic problem was the high cost of New Zealand cans but other “inequities and anomalies” worked unfairly against the New Zealand product.
One inequity was that empty cans imported from Australia for use; in New Zealand were subject to a tariff of-25 ; per- cent but ; imports.? of Australian canned.’beer wdre subject to no tariff.'ri ’ • Big increases in duty ■announced in' the -Budget, perhaps’ intended to inhibit the purchase of Australian beers,. would make -little' difference to .the? demand; for- them or their price relativity- to New Zealand canned beers. ? ’ .? ; For.?.s§yen-. months the. association had-been asking the' Government’ to establish conditions under which New Zealand brewers would-be able to compete on an equal basis with Australian imports but in spite of ■ assurances of action-: nothing had been done. :
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Press, 11 August 1980, Page 1
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342Brewers to press again for curbs Press, 11 August 1980, Page 1
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