The head of Beef + Lamb New Zealand says his annual visit to Europe to shore up the country's main export meat market is even more important this year, with an expected shortfall in lamb available for export.
Radio NZ said chairman Mike Petersen is meeting farmer groups, meat trade organisations and agricultural officials in Europe over the next week.
New Zealand would not be able to fill its sheep meat quota to the EU this year because of the lowest lamb kill in 45 years, Petersen was quoted saying.
Latest figures from Beef + Lamb's Economic Service indicate processing levels for the season just ended, were below 21 million head.
Next year, the kill is likely to be low as well, because of the effects of the summer/autumn droughts, and spring storms which killed hundreds of thousands of lambs.
Petersen said it is important that the EU knows that New Zealand is still committed to supplying that market.
Europe is still New Zealand's most important market by far and in recent times it has been taking about 50% of New Zealand's exports, he said, adding he believes this year's shortfall is likely to be a one-off.
Maintaining good relationships with the EU meat trade is the key to sustaining that market and New Zealand's export quota, he added. – Source: RadioNZ.