N.Z. strives to tap huge African market

Press, 17 June 1986, Page 33

N.Z. strives to tap huge African market

By

ROBIN CHARTERIS

in London

North and West Africa are to come under the control of the New Zealand Meat Board’s European office in London as New Zealand strives to tap the huge potential export market there for lamb and mutton.

With a population of 235 million, 31 million in large cities, the board sees the area as offering excellent prospects. Most of the people are Muslim and favour sheepmeat over beef.

In the export year to September 30, 1985, New Zealand shipped 1294 tonnes of lamb and 64 tonnes of mutton there. As it is now, said the board’s London office, those direct recorded sales of New Zealand sheep meat probably represent only about 10 per cent of actual sales of

New Zealand produce to North and West Africa. The balance is mostly reexported from Denmark, France and the United Kingdom. The potential to increase direct and indirect sales is seen as enormous. The status of the London office has been raised by making it the regional headquarters for all of Europe and North and West Africa.

The acting European director, Mr Don Harwood, becomes the board’s regional director for the whole area. Formerly in managerial roles with Waitaki International in New Zealand and Towers in Britain, and deputy European director of the board for the last two years, he took over as acting director on the resignation of Mr Erik Trautmann. Mr Harwood said the

board in Europe would focus its commercial activities on behalf of the New Zealand meat industry on single-buyer markets where the buying authority was State-owned or managed. "Experience has shown that single buyers, such as most in North and West Africa, prefer to have the board as a statutory organisation involved in negotiations because it has no vested interest in which New Zealand company supplies the meat and because it is an enduring organisation. “They also appreciate the unbiased advice and help the board can provide. New Zealand exporters recognise this too and have confirmed they can see the benefits,” said Mr Harwood. The board’s role in Britain reverted earlier this year to what it was

before 1982 with the transfer of its direct importing and marketing roles to five importing companies. This was seen as part of the need for diversification and expansion in the search for export markets.

Mr Harwood emphasised the board still attached great importance to traditional European and Mediterranean markets, which made up almost half of New Zealand’s lamb and mutton exports last year.