Export, marketing policies criticised

Press, 24 July 1987, Page 9

Export, marketing policies criticised

Strong criticism of the Government’s exporting and marketing policies, and the creation of a “bureaucratic” Market Development Board has been expressed by the managing director of the Fortex Group, Mr Graeme Thompson. The Government had discouraged innovative export market development, in spite of the untiring efforts of the Minister for Marketing, Mr Moore, said Mr Thompson at the opening of the National Exporters’ Convention in Queenstown. Mr Thompson said he feared the various support policies of the Market Development Board were no

more than window-dress-ing.

“The procedures required for application and approval are cumbersome, bureaucratic, and quite insufficient as to monetary value.” Mr Thompson heads the Fortex Group, an unlisted public company with 1500 farmer shareholders. It is Christchurch-based with meat-processing facilities at Ashburton, and employs more than 200 people with export sales of about $5O million.

Mr Thompson called for primary producers to produce more specialised and further-processed foods.