France may import lamb

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32819, 20 January 1972, Page 1

France may import lamb

(From MICHAEL ROBSON. N.Z.P.A. staff correspondent)

PARIS, January 19. New Zealand lamb probably will be allowed into France very goon, according to informed sources in Paris.

Licences for 2000 tons of frozen lamb are expected to be issued, and it seems certain that New Zealand will be given some of this quota. If the imports are allowed, they will be the first from New Zealand since the early 19605, when a complete embargo on frozen lamb was imposed. While the total quota for New Zealand is unlikely to be more than a few hundred

tons it will be an important export; France is regarded as potentially one of the best markets for sheepmeat in Europe. The French have a “natural” taste for Jamb, in contrast with the people in most of the other countries in the E.E.C. The French decision to allow a quota of frozen lamb stems from the fact that they wish to end illegal trafficking in live sheep from third countries into Belgium to circumvent Common Market regulations.

It is alleged that Belgian importers are bringing live sheep from third countries, grazing them for a required period to give them “European nationality” and then killing them and sending

them to France, thus avoiding penalties for meat coming from outside the Community. In some months, apparently, Belgian exports of lamb have exceeded the total sheep population of the country. The French Minister of Agriculture (Mr Jacques Cointat) announced the fact that a change in rules would be required when he answered a question in the French Assembly (Parliament) in October. At the same time he told French producers that they must become more efficient if they wished to compete.

It is believed that France now has dropped its demand that any reference price for a Community sheepmeat regulation would have

■ to be based on the market price in Paris. Instead, officials both within the Ministry of Agricul- ’ ture and in farming organisaI tions are thought to be prepared to accept some intermediate figure, based on Paris : and world prices. Any New Zealand lamb com- : ing m now under the quota i system will have to pay a 20 I per cent Common Market tariff and also a 9c a pound compensation charge, howI ever. It is not clear how the frozen lamb will be marketed, but it is reasonable to expect that there will be some technique to ensure that it comes on the market over the winter months, when fresh supplies are most scarce. j