Kiwis drop meat ads

6 March 2001



Kiwis drop meat ads

By FWi staff

MEAT NEW Zealand, the marketing arm for New Zealand meat exports, has cancelled an advertising campaign because of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Going ahead with the campaign would be insensitive given the problems facing UK livestock farmers, said John Mabb, MNZ manager

“We didnt want to capitalise on the back of the current situation, so weve canned the adverts for the time-being.”

About 100,000t of New Zealand lamb was sold in the UK last year. But a shortage of British meat has boosted interest in supplies from New Zealand.

However, Mr Mabb said he was unsure whether the foot-and-mouth epidemic would see a dramatic increase in New Zealand exports to the UK.

Imports are restricted by quotas and increased supplies would be a short-term measure balanced by lower imports later in the year, he said.

While it is theoretically possible to switch supplies from other EU markets to the UK that was unlikely to happen, added Mr Mabb.