New Market Problem Difficult To Solve

Northern Advocate, 8 October 1941, Page 8

New Market Problem Difficult To Solve

“Have we a chance of getting a market outside the home market?” asked Mr. O. V. Adlam, at a meeting of the Whangarei Sub-provincial of the Farmers’ Union yesterday. The Government was investigating every other possible outlet, and had sent a trial shipment of New Zealand lamb to Canada, but without great success, the chairman (Mr. A. Briscoe Moore) said. It was difficult to get additional markets.

Personally Mr. Moore favoured departure from orthodox lines, such as the manufacture of hydrated meat, a small trial shipment of which had already been made to Britain. Mr. A. Wiblin: The matter is out of our hands. Mr. Moore: Actually it is in the hands of the Marketing Department, but the co-operation of farmers’ bodies is gladly received. “Improvement in shipping would help,” commented Mr. F. Simmonds. The real difficulty was in securing refrigerated tonnage, because this type of vessel was not being built during war time, when general cargo boats could be constructed more quickly, said Mr. Moore. In Dutch Indies A potential market for New Zealand primary produce was provided in the Dutch East Indies, said Mr. H. E. Hewlett. In representing the sub-provincial at a meeting in Auckland he had met an old Dutch sea captain, who was now acting as a vice-consul in New Zealand, and this man had said that Dominion produce would finda market in the East Indies and that ships could also be made available to carry it. He had, however hinted that there were outside financial interests which would work against New Zealand developing a market there.