N.Z. LAMB

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 49, 26 August 1938, Page 11

N.Z. LAMB

SUPREMACY ATTACKED

MEETING COMPETITION

MORE ADVERTISING

If New Zealand is to retain her present position in the British market she must broaden publicity for her meat products, declared Mr. T. A. Duncan, chairman of the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board, when speaking at the annual meeting of the board today. Mr. Duncan said that while New Zealand products were the best, competition in the lamb market particularly was becoming much keener, and Australia and Argentina, which were attacking the supremacy of New Zealand lamb, had made tremendous strides in improving quality and grading in the last few years. The advertising of meat in the United Kingdom had been given much prominence recently by the application of the National Federation of Meat Retailers in Great Britain to the Livestock Advisory Committee set up by the British Ministry of Agriculture to institute a general advertising campaign for meat, he said. A definite scheme for all meat was suggested at a cost of £100,000 per annum, to be supported pro rata by all the various meat interests, and although the particular scheme was rejected by the National Farmers' Union of Great Britain, it was still possible that two advertising campaigns might be inaugurated—one for Scotch meat and another for English meat. ARGENTINA ADVERTISING. The Argentine Meat Board, in conjunction with the Argentine exporters, .had been issuing a series of advertisements for chilled beef in all the leading British papers and was also doing a considerable amount of coloured poster advertising in railway stations and buses at a cost of £50,000 per annum, and there was every likelihood that the campaign would be continued indefinitely. "In view of the foregoing, it is therefore imperative for New Zealand to maintain and broaden the publicity for her meat products if she is to retain her present position in the British market." said Mr. Duncan. "It is important also to recognise that whilst New Zealand lamb, mutton, and pork are still the best meats of their kinds imported into the United -Kingdom, competition in the lamb market particularly is becoming much keener. Both Australia and Argentina are attacking the supremacy of New Zealand lamb, and have made tremendous strides in improving quality and grading in the last few years. It cannot, therefore, be too strongly emphasised that New Zealand must make every effort to still further improve the quality of her lamb. BOARD'S ACTIVITIES. "Realising the importance of extending its advertising activities at Home, the board increased its publicity allocation for the calendar year 1938 to £33,000 (sterling) which, although a very large proportion of the board's total income (when converted to New! Zealand currency) is still a relatively small amount in relation to the amounts being spent, or contemplated being spent, by our competitors." It was necessary to increase the levy on meat exported to meet the additional 'and producers could be •'sure that the board only took this step after very careful consideration, and in the conviction that increasing Supplies and the keen competition of rivals in the Home market gave them no other alternative. In its propaganda at Home, New Zealand had invaluable allies in both the wholesale and retail meat trades, and the main advertising was, therefore, centred on the wholesale markets and' retail shops. Many hundreds of market stalls, stances, and wholesale depots regularly displayed the New Zealand material where it must be seen by many thousands of buyers daily. i "EVERY TOWN AND VILLAGE." > '■'■■ ■ As the total number of meat retailers in Great Britain was approximately :, 40,000, a proportion of which did a very poor class trade, and a further proportion retailed home-killed meat and pork only, the board could claim that its material was displayed daily in every town and village throughout the length and breadth of the Kingdom. This was only possible by the good will of the retailers who, realising that they were handling a firstclass article, were willing to make the fullest use of the board's attractive material. Many wrote quite Spontaneously testifying to the great benefit they had derived from the constant display of the material in permanently increased sales.

The board's travelling representative at Home was able to keep a constant watch on unscrupulous butchers to prevent substitution, and to discuss marketing and other difficulties with wholesalers and retailers alike. Another important feature of his duties was lecturing to butchery students at technical schools and to the staffs of large retail meat distributors.