26 July 2007

1 minute read

Oceania

The Meat Industry Association (MIA) believes an increase in the Meat & Wool New Zealand (M&WNZ) beef levy charged on all animals slaughtered, must be given serious consideration by farmers, as part of joint industry initiatives to protect New Zealand’s beef export interests in key markets.

MIA Chairman, Bill Falconer, said the MIA’s processor and exporter members have worked collaboratively with M&WNZ on a number of promotions of New Zealand beef for both the export and the domestic market in the past four years. The intention is to increase this, leveraging the investment of the two groups with more joint venture promotions.

“We need to be lifting our marketing investment particularly in those North Asian markets where we have made significant gains while the US was shut out because of BSE, and it makes sense to work together to do it. As US beef returns to Japan, Taiwan and Korea, we must make sure we don’t lose the market share that New Zealand’s grass-fed beef has gained.

“In the past three years New Zealand beef exports to Japan, Korea and Taiwan have increased in value by 86 percent. These are markets that hold increasing potential, and the joint venture model, that sees matched funding from both farmers and processors, is one that has worked extremely well.”

TheCattleSite News Desk