Meat figures irony for N.Z.

Press, 1 June 1981, Page 7

Meat figures irony for N.Z.

PA Wellington The latest American meat trade figures contain an ironic twist for New Zealand.

The rate of rejection of New Zealand meat is. as usual, very low. reflecting the high levels of meat hygiene in the processing indus trv.

However, the rejectior rate for meat from the Euro pean Economic Community, which has forced New Zea land to spend hundreds of millions of dollars improving freezing works to meet E.E.C. hygiene requirements, is much higher. Figures published by the Freezing Companies' Association show that New Zealand had the lowest rejection rate of main exporters to the United States in 1980.

According to the United States Secretary of Agriculture. 0.04 per cent of New Zealand meat imports were rejected.

New Zealand was the second largest supplier of meat to the United States,exporting almost 170,000 tonnes last year. Only 60 tonnes, or the equivalent of four containers, was rejected, the association said.

“By comparison, E.E.C. countries with cumulative exports to the United States of only a third of New Zealand's total, had rejection rates considerably higher.

one as high as 3 per cent,” it said.

The United States embassy <ays the rates are a reflecion of the standard of hygiene of the meat industry". New Zealand freezing ompanies say they have pent $3BO million in the last ecade improving their *orks to meet the stringent 'IE.C. requirements.

A team of E EC. veterinarians recently inspected Mew Zealand works as part >f its investigation to decide whether thev were up to' the required standard.