MEAT TARIFFS

Hokitika Guardian, 30 August 1933, Page 6

MEAT TARIFFS

DOMINION TRADE HAMPERED. THE SITUATION IN EUROPE. WELLINGTON, August 29. No better evidence of the -dilticulties o-f international trading can- he found Ilian in the position that faces - New Zealand meat exporters in their -desire t-o do business -with the countries of 'Continent-1 Europe. Tariffs, quotas and stringent, veterinary restrictions combine to pile up the handicaps.. Information on these subjectg is regularly secured by the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board, and it hS»s recently made a summary of the facts, as they exist to-day. This discloses that there’ is

very little, prospect, if any, of extending the export of New. Zealand meat into most of the Continental countries.

Tnere might be some possibility of development -loi Belgium,- but the- first outstanding fact, in the -board’s survey relating to that country is that Belgium ''does not -import l-.'mb. It takes outside supplies of beef and muti on, but South American, competition has.-so far excluded New Zealand on a price basis. In any case, imports into Belgium are on a quota, amounting to nine-tenths of the imports 'for the ye«-f 1931, while there are Customs duties, and a sales tax of 5 per cent of -the diLy-paid value. Germany has ‘abandoned the quota principle ih 'favour of much more drastic restrictions of a veterinary nature. Whole carcases only may be imported, and this various organs must .' 'remain attached, in their natural positions. These measures were designed -to protect the German agricultural industry. Norway simply prohibits’ the importation of if\]l -classes of frozen meat,

while its neighbour, Sweden, requires such an elaborate system -of veterinary inspection at time of slaughtering, and of marks and certificates, that business cbul-d not be profitably conducted with that -country; The board’s London officers who looked into the possibilities of trade -with Sweden were informed -by the Comifteici-,1 Councillor of the British -Legation at Stockholm that -t-he Swedish Medical Board do not regard frozen meat exported from New Zealand '»s complying with their requirements'. 1 Itg dim-port into .Sweden,, adds the British authority, is therefore not permitted., In the Netherlands the quota prevails, s-o that apart from some other difficulties . which present themselves, this principle bars New Zealand -meat, the reason being that imports of 'pork, beef and veal -are subject to a -quota based on the previous , year’s imports.,. As New Zeal-'lri-d has had n-o business with t-he Netherlands it cannot obtain a quota.

France allows meat imports on a quota basis, fixed quarterly in. advance, and it -impose*; the following duties; L-'-mb, 180 fr-?in-e,s-per k-110 ; mutton, 260 Jr-ancs; ipo-rk;.. 180 francs ; -and beef,. 180. francs' per kilo.' In .addition, there .an . import tax * ranging from 25 to' 50- , cents -per kilo. Italy has extensive veterinary regulations in respect to -meat importations, ;,and;,imposeß-^a'duty-qj-140 ; kilo on New Zealand imports, a baa’s which extends.. to nearly all countries, and- gives no special preference, though, in -any case, the “moist favoured nation” clause under which New' Zealand .may export to Italy’'is entirely v at the discretion .of the- Ministry of Finance, which'may change the duty, to 200 lira per 100 kilos without notice. Spain is not -an importer of frozen meat. , ' ,'

Denmark, by a. decree of 1924. prohibited the importation of New Zealand frozen lamb, mutton, 'beef and pork. This decree, it is understood, is still effective, though, at the time of reporting the board was making further inquiries t 0 ascertain if there has been any recent Variation. Under the difficult condition’s which ■have been" enumerated, it is extremely unlikely that exporters, in the ordinary' course of business, would venture to iconsign meat-to most of the Continental countries.

With regard to new markets generally, the Mbit Board has always been keenly alive to the desirability of establishing new markets for our meat wherever possible, and has from time t 0 time purchased and sent forward ou consignment shipments of meat to test markets. The resu,l tary, information, including detpils of realisation, j s circulated to all those in New Zealand who might die in a position to take advantage of the opportunity thus created.