New Zealand Lamb Exports Up, Beef Down

SYDNEY - Feb 4/03 - SNS -- New Zealand experienced an overall increase in meat exports during 2002, with a minor decline in beef and veal shipments more than offset by rising lamb sales.

Data assembled by Meat New Zealand revealed 323,000 metric tons (MT) of beef and veal were shipped during the year, down 500 MT from 2001 despite rising demand from the United States, Korea and Taiwan.

By contrast, lamb exports rose 2% above 2001 to 289,801 MT as shippers took advantage of reduced Australian supplies and a record lambing season in New Zealand.

Easing Australian competition in U.S. markets allowed New Zealand to export 12% more lamb, with shipments advancing from 18,112 MT in 2001 to 20,338 MT. Over the same period Australia's lamb exports to the U.S. fell 7% to 27,401 MT -- still the second largest calendar year total to the U.S.

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