Fletcher’s accounts for 9% of exports

Press, 1 September 1986, Page 16

Fletcher’s accounts for 9% of exports

PA Wellington Fletcher Challenge, Ltd, was responsible for 9 per cent of New Zealand’s total exports for the year ended June.

But FCL, in a statement, said the total export figure of $931.17M was 8 per cent down on the 1984-1985 figure of SIOI6M, largely because of the output losses from Tasman Pulp and Paper and currency fluctuations. "Pulp and paper usually dominates our export figures, but because of its very difficult industrial relations scene last year, Tasman quite simply did not have the product to export,” the executive director of FCL, Mr Carl Ryan, said. Seven of the 10 big exporting sectors of FCL improved on their 19844985 figures, contributing to the total of 5451.4 M of direct exports for the year ended June 30. The highlights were big increases by Fletcher Fishing, Challenge Meats, and Wrightson NMA. The group was also involved in'a further J479.77M of indirect exports, handling

products such as wool, kiwifruit, meat, grain, and seeds as well as bloodstock and air freight returns. Mr Ryan said the result was encouraging given the rapid changes that faced New Zealand exporting. “The second half figures for direct exports were actually up 6 per cent on the similar period in the previous year, although the first half had been significantly lower,” he said.

He used this comparison to highlight the group’s potential for export development if continuous production could be maintained.

There were two notable performances from meat, $85.9M (up 19.8 per cent) and fishing, $77.5M (up 6.4 per cent). “In each case, there is a real thrust into added value, differentiated products,” Mr Ryan said. Wrightson NMA exports increased 32.8 per cent to $39.3 million as a result of good seed sales and the purchase of Kiwifruit exporter, Produce Markets, Ltd. Australia ($180M) and

Japan ($57.87M) were the major destinations for FCL direct exports. Exports to Australia fell 17 per cent but Saudi Arabia and Indonesia were both in the top 10 export markets. Others in the top ten were: United States, 541.25 M, Britain, $38.16M; Taiwan, $11.51M; Hong Kong, SU.2OM, South Korea, 310.74 M, Singapore, $9.62M, Saudi Arabia, $8.50M, Indonesia, $8.09M. Details of the sector results were: Pulp and Paper, 5192.1 M, down 30.6%; Wrightson NMA, $39.3M, up 32.8%; meat, $85.9M, up 19.8%; fishing, $77.5M, up 6.4%; steel, S7M, down 56.5%; timber, S2OM, down 11.9%; forestry SIO.BM, up 8%; wood panels, SIOM, up 1%; building materials, S4M, up 37.9%; construction, S4.BM, up 14.3%. Total $451.4M, down 12.65%. Indirect exports: Wool, S32IM; bloodstock, $34.25M; kiwifruit, 540.92 M; grain and seeds, 57.20 M; meat, S7OM; airfreight, $6.4M. Total, 5479.77 M, down 3.8%.