Meat Board lamb proposals opposed

Press, 10 August 1982, Page 3

Meat Board lamb proposals opposed

PA Oamaru The Sheep and Cattlemen’s Association has asked the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Maclntyre) to urge the Meat Board to move warily on its proposal to channel all lamb exports through a national pool. ’ In a letter to Mr MacIntyre, the association’s national director. Mr A. D. Dick, said: “You will know from the events of 1972-73, when wool marketing was in contention, that the members of the association are freemarketers. strongly opposed to compulsory acquisition of either meat or wool.” It was clear to the association that members were not convinced of the board's ability to do a better job than the established meat export-

ers forced to live by their results and their marketing ability, he said.

A great deal of criticism had been levelled at the traditional exporters, some of whom had been branded as weak sellers. Most would merely have reacted to the mood of the market, like any other trader faced with full shelves and a falling demand.

“Withholding lamb from the market and locking it away in cool stores in the hope of creating a shortage and a price rise will never be advantageous to the trade, long or short-term,” Mr Dick said.

“It is not a marketing device likely to cement the allegiance of old customers or attract new ones. There

are too many attractive alternatives in the market place.”' ’ Centralised or bureaucratic control of marketing had never been adventurous or rewarding by measurable standards. There had been a lot of persuasive argument by the staff of the Dairy Board that meat and wool should follow the dairy world under the bureaucratic umbrella, Mr Dick said.. The association suggested that calm and reason could be introduced by the Government, by arranging for a small committee to hear the views of all concerned.

“Mr Taiboys is' the one they suggest to chair it, and for. members, Sir Charles Hilgendorf and Mr Rod Weir,” Mr Dick said.