Meat Board confident of Europe sales

Press, 28 January 1986, Page 31

Meat Board confident of Europe sales

PA Wellington - The Meat Board’s chairman, Mr Adam Begg, is confident New Zealand Will sell more meat in Europe in future than it has in the last two years. This year might be difficult until the new marketing systems were in full use, he said. “But I believe the potential is there to increase over-all sales in the European Community area provided the right products are properly distributed.”

The Meat Board recently handed over marketing of New Zealand meat to individual companies. Mr Begg recently returned from London,

where he spoke to board staff about what the changes meant for them. There would be job losses for some of the 40-odd staff but exact numbers had yet to be determined, he said.

It would depend on what line the board played in promotion.

New Zealand meat had been selling well in Britain so far this year, Mr Begg said. Sales for January and those expected for February and March looked to be in good balance. But there was concern among buyers and sellers.

in Britain about what the change in marketing would mean. It largely centred on price stability, and whether there would be easy access to the New Zealand product The critical period was likely to be between mid March and mid-April. Until the middle of March all the product would be owned by the board. Mr Begg said that if the change-over went smoothly the volumes sold during the last year could probably be maintained and possibly increased. It was important that the processed product demanded by the consumer was provided rather than the carcase, he said.