MAF releases Meat - the future report

This MAF report looks at the sheep meat and beef sectors past history of poor profitability, and seeks to identify some opportunities and challenges that must be met to improve this financial position. It looks at 10 strategic important factors  that have influence in the underperformance of this industry. They include farm and processing profitability, investment in research and marketing, developing new markets and the use of brand NZ, coopertive marketing overseas, efficency onfarm and at the processing end and addressing supply issues with contracts. Meat & Wool New Zealand welcomes this publication of MEAT: The Future,  which identifies the challenges facing the meat sector, and aims to encourage debate about the future. "As the study notes, there are a number of fundamentals that indicate the future is bright for the NZ meat industry," says M&WNZ Chairman, Mike Petersen.  "Our high quality natural products, rising protein prices, growth in developing nations and declining sheep numbers worldwide, point to opportunities for the meat industry. "It is vital that the industry is repositioned to be able to take advantage of these trends and restore profitability to the sector. However, as a sector, the meat industry has not successfully addressed recurring problems and put in place better planning for the future." Mr Petersen was pleased to see the MAF study does not present a plan of action because farmers and industry, not government, are best placed to make commercial decisions about their future.