§ Mr. Corrieasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which countries of the world are offering beef and lamb on the world market; and how the price compares with British prices for the same article at 1st October 1976.
§ Mr. BishopNew Zealand supplies over 80 per cent. of lamb entering international trade. Price relativities for frozen 159W New Zealand lamb and fresh home-produced lamb vary throughout the year but the price at Smithfield on 4th October for frozen New Zealand lamb was 43.8 p/lb. and was 42.5 p/lb. for fresh home-produced lamb.
The main beef exporting countries are Argentina, Australia, the Central American states, New Zealand and Uruguay which together account for more than two thirds of world beef exports.
No direct comparisons are possible between the price of beef offered by these countries and beef produced in the United Kingdom because of the wide variety of cuts and presentations in which beef is traded. The current EEC and US restrictions on the import of beef from third countries also mean that prices on the world market are in any event unrepresentative.