Middle East fish trade prospects good

Press, 10 January 1981, Page 20

Middle East fish trade prospects good

PA Wellington Prospects for New Zealand fish exports to the Middle East are “extremelv good,” according to the Fishing Industry Board. Its marketing manager, Mr Armitage, after a trip to the region., says that sales of New Zealand fish could at least double in the next two years. The most promising markets in the Middle East trade, which earned New Zealand $2 million last year, were in Saudi Arabia and Egypt, he said. But he warned that to take full advantage of the area’s potential, New Zealand exporters must increase their presence there, particularly at trade fairs. Other countries, including Australia, were strongly represented at the fairs. France, which had built up a successful trade with the Middle East, invited Arab importers to fairs in Paris and paid all their air fares and expenses.

“Buyers told me they did not see as many New Zealand traders as Australians or even Europeans, although they were aware of our reputation as producers of high-quality food,” Mr Armitage said. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation had forecast that the area would need to import about 600,000 tonnes of fish by 1985. In current value that could be worth about $4O million. “New Zealand should be looking for a small share of that. I do not see any reason why we should not at least double our exports in the next two years,” Mr Armitage said. Egypt was a good potential market and was predicted ultimately to be the biggest importer of fish in the Middle East. A delegation headed by the Egyptian Minister of Supply will visit New Zealand in February to examine trade in meat, dairy products, and fish.