Troubles riot over for lamb

Press, 25 October 1980, Page 28

Troubles riot over for lamb

NZPA London Relief in New Zealand that agreement has been reached on E.E.C. sheepmeat . policy is tempered by concer about- the effect pany affairs). <'■;< of some provisions on the total lamb market, according to the chairman of the Meat Board- (Mr A. M. Begg). '■ ;■ /‘Although arrangements for New Zealand appear to be satisfactory, we are concerned about the workings of the internal regime and. its effect on the total lamb markets,” Mr Begg said after talks in London.

Mr Begg, who has had meetings with the British Minister of Agriculture (Mr Peter Walker), the president of the National Farmers’ Union (Mr Richard Butler), and importers of New Zealand meat, said the “clawback” of subsidies on British lamb shipped abroad caused a great deal' of uncertainty about future exports to the European Community.

■ “We',, are' greatly concerned that the new price arrangements in Britain may lead to the serious distortion of traditional slaughter patterns for home-killed lamb,” he said.

• “If they do, it will make it more difficult for us to phase shipments from New Zealand to complement domestic production.” :

.New Zealand will continue to try to ensure the orderly marketing of its lamb, Mr Begg said.

“But I fear that the regime will artificially distort and change the framework of traditional marketing, making the supply of British lamb very unpredictable in the next few years,” he said. "■ “Any system that isolates the producer from the market place is fraught with danger for all segments of the trade, not least the producers themselves.”