Australian meat firms urged to expand into RI

Australian meat firms urged to expand into RI

GOLD COAST (Reuter): The Australian Meat Council (AMC) urged yesterday red meat exporters to exploit the "unlimited potential" of emerging markets in Indonesia and Malaysia while consolidating their traditional dominance in Japan and South Korea.

"Australian meat exporters are in an ideal position to capitalize on (these) fast emerging markets," AMC chairman George Gilbertson said.

"Our Asia-Pacific neighbors are recognized as areas of unlimited potential for Australia's red meat industry," he said in a keynote address to a meat industry conference.

High economic growth had seen changes in consumption patterns emerging in the Asia-Pacific area with red meat likely to be one of the benefactors, he said.

"The close proximity of the region also gives Australia a competitive edge over other major suppliers as consumers progress further in their demands for fresh product," he said.

Gilbertson said globalization of the red meat industry was one of the industry's keys to survival.

"The Philippines, Indonesia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe now play significant roles to many of our members who are no longer content to merely service the large traditional markets and buyers," he said.

Gilbertson also highlighted new food inspection methods now adopted by the Australian meat industry together with a consumer focus becoming evident at the retail level.

Australian Meat and Livestock Corp (AMLC) figures for 1996/97 produced for the conference showed Australia holding 21 percent of the world's beef market with 59.7 percent of beef production exported.