Iran lamb sales may exceed $160M

Press, 23 September 1980, Page 1

Iran lamb sales may exceed $160M

. Iran will buy 70,000 tonnes of New Zealand lamb in the killing season due to begin next month. This . was announced yesterday- by the Meat Board, after the return of a delegation which visited Iran. The new deal is worth more than sl6omillion and follows the export of 64,000 tonnes to Iran in the season now ending. The 1979-80 season began with Iran initially expected to take 45,000 tonnes this season, out of a total of 200,000 tonnes over four seasons. If all goes well, Iran may again exceed the figure initially set down for the new season. Fortunately it appears that New Zealand will have the lamb available to meet both Iranian requirements and also ■ supplies for traditional markets, after a good lambing from an expanded ewe flock.’ In Canterbury the lambing season has seldom been a better one for lamb survival,. but rain is now required to provide the feed to see the lambs through to killing without difficulty. ’ ■ Iran is also reported to be interested in New Zealand mutton. . Another

buyer for this commodity, in addition to Japan and the Soviet Union could give a welcome stimulus to the market for this meat. But it. is thought that no deal has yet been completed. Iran now ranks as New Zealand’s second most important customer for lamb and in the nine months to the end of July had taken nearly 17 per cent of New Zealand’s lamb exports. The Iran deal follows the announcement last week of the sale of 30,000 tonnes of lamb to Iraq — compared with 16,000 tonnes, sold, this year — for $7O million. The combined effect of these two large sales should have a favourable influence on prospects in the new season for. lamb in Britain. Against this has to be set recent rockbottom prices for pelts, increases in freight rates, and likely increases also in processing charges in the new season. Heavy fighting was reported between Iran and Iraq in and around the disputed Shatt Al-Arab waterway yesterday as the war between, the neighbouring oil exporters entered a new phase. Details, page 6.