N.Z. lamb appeals Cypriots

Press, 8 September 1980, Page 10

N.Z. lamb appeals Cypriots

NZPA Nicosia Mention New Zealand to most Gypriots and -their first reaction is lamb. Cyprus, although a relatively small market, is one of New. Zealand’s most secure and steadily growing. The small Mediterranean island, is also a good customer of New Zealand butter and a. variety, of New Zealand cheeses. New/ Zealand has a monopoly on imported lamb and until recently on other imported meats as well. Australia is now making headway into the beef market, along with Ireland.

“The market depends on prices,” the Meat Board’s representative, Mr Tony Christodoulou, said. “The Australians will get in only if they are much cheaper than New Zealand. The people here trust the' New Zealand product but will naturally go for the cheapest. “There has been a lot of Irish topside and silverside . selling well here

recently because they are selling E.E.C. intervention beef at. $l2OO a- toime cheaper than New Zealand can. There is'-no way you can compete with that” With lamb imports, though; New Zealand still reigns supreme. Lamb is a popular., dish in Cyprus and the Meat Board caters for the local market with recipes such as kyrennia cutlets, paphos parcels and larnaca hot pot as well as the traditional kebabs and roast dishes. "The market is now around 1500 tonnes a year but we hope to get that un to 2000 tonnes in the, next two years,” Mr Christodoulou said. :

“We should get to 2500 tonnes in the next- five years, but Cyprus is only ■a small island (population 650,000) so the market will obviously reach saturation • point at some stage.” The board’s promotional organisation in Cyprus is impressive — not just promoting New Zealand

lamb but New Zealand as a whole.'. ■

The Lamb Information’ Bureau was set up eight ■years ago and has had a hard struggle to convince Cypriots of the virtues of the New Zealand product ■Mr Christodoulou said there were two big problems to overcome. Cypriots were not familiar with foreign meat so had to be taught how to thaw and prepare it correctly. New Zealand lamb also had a strong stigma attached to it because a lot of second-rate- lamb had been dumped in Cyprus. “We go out into the villages, explaining to people how to get the best value from lamb and let them try the dishes we. have prepared to prove that the lamb they now get is not second-rate,” he shid. Since the success with the local people the publicity drive is now being moved to the catering industry. Tourism is beginning to boom again in Cyprus: dozens of new hotels to feplace those lost to the Turkish invaders in 1974 are being built. Britons and Germans make up most of the sun-shine-seeking tourists.. Mr Christodoulou is especially keen to convert Germans to lamb' eating while in . Cyprus in the hope that they will continue eating lamb once they return home.

"Germans are not lamb eaters. But we’ve had a lot of interest from them and giving demonstrations after organising barbecues at the main hotels.”