New Zealand-Targets on market in China for beef and lamb.

NEW ZEALAND-China is being eyed up as a market for New Zealand red meat in a new initiative.

Meat & Wool New Zealand has joined with three meat exporters, Alliance Group Ltd, Anzco Foods Ltd and Silver Fern Farms Ltd, to identify opportunities for New Zealand red meat in China’s super premium food sector. Before now there had not been a collective approach as to how the high-value Asian market could be developed and the project was a "significant step" for the industry as it sought to build new market opportunities, he said.

The project follows on from market research carried out last year by Meat & Wool New Zealand and the meat exporters involved in the initiative.

The research suggested China was the most attractive potential market of those studied.

The initial focus of the Emerging Markets Project is a market audit and evaluation which is expected to be completed by May 2009.

"The market audit will include a more detailed study of the red meat market in China. We anticipate that it will identify the geographic focus, confirm the market potential, and identify several strategies for delivering benefit back to the New Zealand farmer."

The project is to be partially funded by New Zealand Trade & Enterprise while the companies jointly fund the remainder.