New Zealand-Mutton exports to Fiji.

NEW ZEALAND.

DIPLOMATIC SPAT WITH FIJI.

Fiji are large buyers of New Zealand mutton and offal’s, mainly for the very large Indian population on the Islands.

The expulsion of the New Zealand High Commissioner on Monday, has alarmed the NZ meat industry, as Australia would love to get their hands on the whole of the lucrative mutton trade.

The reason the trade is so good, is the fact that they require heavy fat ewes cut into six cuts, the type of meat that no one else requires, as everyone is looking for lean meat. There is a company in Melbourne that built a new $8 million lamb cutting complex, solely on profits from the Fiji trade and fat ewes.

Butchers interviewed by the Fiji Times on Monday, said their relationship with NZ suppliers is very strong and they imported beef and poultry as well as mutton.

Tebara Meats Limited manager Mohammed Feroz, said "we hope that the government of New Zealand will not impose trade sanctions against Fiji".