The Otago Times reports:
Farmers are renewing calls for the government to enforce the same animal welfare standards that local pig farmers face on imported pork.
A group of farmers, pork producers and advocates wrote to the Prime Minister and government ministers this week, calling for a “level playing field” among locally-produced and imported product.
The pork industry has wanted this for years now, with industry group NZPork warning that local producers were struggling against a flood of lower-welfare imports.
Ah – the urge for a level playing field.
Food and Agriculture Organization’s latest statistics show New Zealand imported more than 47,000 tonnes of pork in 2023.
The ODT report said more than 63 percent of pork consumed in New Zealand is imported from countries like United States, Spain, Germany and Canada.
The “Fair for Farmers” campaign was launched at the Northland Fieldays last week.
But pig farmers are not alone in squealing about the competition from imports.
Several New Zealand industries face significant challenges competing against imports..
Companies like Wattie’s have reported reducing local sourcing of crops due to intense pressure from cheaper imported products.
The high cost of local production in construction materials makes them susceptible to competition from cheaper imported alternatives.
New Zealand’s relatively high labour and operational costs make it difficult for businesses generally to compete on price with imported goods, especially from lower-cost economies.
Small domestic market sizes limit economies of scale, while the country’s geographic remoteness increases transportation costs for raw materials and finished goods.
Manufacturers of NZ-made clothing must meet minimum wage requirements and comply with strict health, safety, and environmental regulations. Many imported garments come from countries with much lower labour standards and wages.
International manufacturers produce in high volumes, reducing the cost per unit. New Zealand’s small population and market size mean lower-volume production, leading to higher unit costs.
Then there’s the impact from global “fast fashion” giants (such as Shein and Temu) which have flooded the market with low-cost, rapidly produced items.
Higher costs for electricity, raw materials, and operating space in New Zealand make local production expensive, too.
Imported footwear is cheaper in New Zealand for much the same reasons.
The removal of tariffs on imported clothing and footwear has made it even harder for local firms to compete and caused much local manufacturing to cease.
When it comes to clothing, footwear and so on, NZ-made products generally are higher quality and more “ethical” (by eschewing child labour, for example).
That can be used in marketing to justify the higher prices.
Perhaps the pork people should take that approach rather than press the government to impose higher animal welfare standards on imports to level the playing fields.
Bob Edlin is a veteran journalist and editor for the Point of Order blog HERE. - where this article was sourced.
The pork industry has wanted this for years now, with industry group NZPork warning that local producers were struggling against a flood of lower-welfare imports.
Ah – the urge for a level playing field.
Food and Agriculture Organization’s latest statistics show New Zealand imported more than 47,000 tonnes of pork in 2023.
The ODT report said more than 63 percent of pork consumed in New Zealand is imported from countries like United States, Spain, Germany and Canada.
The “Fair for Farmers” campaign was launched at the Northland Fieldays last week.
But pig farmers are not alone in squealing about the competition from imports.
Several New Zealand industries face significant challenges competing against imports..
Companies like Wattie’s have reported reducing local sourcing of crops due to intense pressure from cheaper imported products.
The high cost of local production in construction materials makes them susceptible to competition from cheaper imported alternatives.
New Zealand’s relatively high labour and operational costs make it difficult for businesses generally to compete on price with imported goods, especially from lower-cost economies.
Small domestic market sizes limit economies of scale, while the country’s geographic remoteness increases transportation costs for raw materials and finished goods.
Manufacturers of NZ-made clothing must meet minimum wage requirements and comply with strict health, safety, and environmental regulations. Many imported garments come from countries with much lower labour standards and wages.
International manufacturers produce in high volumes, reducing the cost per unit. New Zealand’s small population and market size mean lower-volume production, leading to higher unit costs.
Then there’s the impact from global “fast fashion” giants (such as Shein and Temu) which have flooded the market with low-cost, rapidly produced items.
Higher costs for electricity, raw materials, and operating space in New Zealand make local production expensive, too.
Imported footwear is cheaper in New Zealand for much the same reasons.
The removal of tariffs on imported clothing and footwear has made it even harder for local firms to compete and caused much local manufacturing to cease.
When it comes to clothing, footwear and so on, NZ-made products generally are higher quality and more “ethical” (by eschewing child labour, for example).
That can be used in marketing to justify the higher prices.
Perhaps the pork people should take that approach rather than press the government to impose higher animal welfare standards on imports to level the playing fields.
Bob Edlin is a veteran journalist and editor for the Point of Order blog HERE. - where this article was sourced.
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