Lessons learnt must grow into new market strategy

Some valuable lessons are being learnt by sheep and beef farmers this year reports The Dom Post. After last year's widespread drought, they have fewer animals on their farms. But instead of their income falling it is rising. It's the old law of supply and demand. This year, with supply down demand is up. It also helps that the exchange rate is more in their favour. Now farmers and meat marketers are thinking, "Hey, we should do this every season". The strategy of striving to lift production each year is being questioned. There's a health issue, too. Farmers on the western side of the North Island's mountain ranges who have been forced by the drought to lower their stocking rates to conserve their best breeding ewes and cows are considering leaving the numbers unchanged now the pastures are growing again and their stock is in good health. They have seen how easy a change in the weather can over- stress their flocks and herds. Farmers on the east of the ranges have been experiencing yet another drought and are being forced to keep stock numbers down. They are coming round to the view that they will have to farm as if this might be a permanent state of affairs. All this is coinciding with a rethink in food marketing. It comes with the realisation by some food scientists and nutritionists that, in their words, "the western stomach is full". By this they mean that we have enough food to satisfy our daily needs - more than enough in many cases if the obesity statistics are correct. But now some marketers are asking that if the western stomach is full, should we not be rethinking this strategy. Is it wise to be pumping more food into a satiated market? The result will be lower, not higher, returns. However, others are pointing out that the western diet is being exported successfully to the east. As people in China and other Asian countries become more affluent their diets are changing to include more prime meat cuts and more milk products. Maybe so, but our priority must be to protect our traditional markets. And this is where a change in marketing could be made. ,Br/>