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Where has all the good lamb gone ?
Posted by Steph
Where has all the good lamb gone ? March 05, 2006 05:07AM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 267 |
Hi all
I imagine this could be a controversial subject, but I am amazed that in a country that trumpets to the rest of the world how good our lamb is, we cannot buy decent well-priced lamb in the supermarket ! Or is that where I am going wrong - buying in the supermarkets ?
There are so many delicious sounding recipes for lamb curry and casseroles but I cannot bring myself to pay for lamb that is going to end up disguised by other flavours (albeit delicious). I feel that when I do splash out and buy lamb, I should be cooking it as simply as possible to make the most of the taste.
I lived in the UK for a number of years and on occassion bought NZ lamb and it was delicious and not overpriced. Is overseas where all the lamb is going ?
I just find it some what bizarre that it is more often than not cheaper to buy any other kind of meat or poultry other than the meat which NZ does best.
Where am I going wrong ? Should I be buying from the butcher ? I imagine I may get better quality but what about price ? Or am I just being greedy and wanting it all ?!?
From a lover of lamb who doesnt get to eat it nearly often enough !
Steph
I imagine this could be a controversial subject, but I am amazed that in a country that trumpets to the rest of the world how good our lamb is, we cannot buy decent well-priced lamb in the supermarket ! Or is that where I am going wrong - buying in the supermarkets ?
There are so many delicious sounding recipes for lamb curry and casseroles but I cannot bring myself to pay for lamb that is going to end up disguised by other flavours (albeit delicious). I feel that when I do splash out and buy lamb, I should be cooking it as simply as possible to make the most of the taste.
I lived in the UK for a number of years and on occassion bought NZ lamb and it was delicious and not overpriced. Is overseas where all the lamb is going ?
I just find it some what bizarre that it is more often than not cheaper to buy any other kind of meat or poultry other than the meat which NZ does best.
Where am I going wrong ? Should I be buying from the butcher ? I imagine I may get better quality but what about price ? Or am I just being greedy and wanting it all ?!?
From a lover of lamb who doesnt get to eat it nearly often enough !
Steph
korimako
Re: Where has all the good lamb gone ? March 05, 2006 06:42AM |
I think that we are starting to be too focused on price ie we want cheap food and as a result have lost sight of the fact that cheap food generally means mass produced, and probably imported. Suppliers have so much pressure put on them by the big supermarkets to cut prices that the quality of what we are offered is compromised.
I have started to buy organic, but it does mean its more expensive so we just try to eat smaller portions!
I have started to buy organic, but it does mean its more expensive so we just try to eat smaller portions!
Re: Where has all the good lamb gone ? March 05, 2006 07:05AM |
Steph,
It's just like our best fish..........it all goes, largely, to the Japanese market and we get the scraps and still have to pay the high price.
It's disgusting, I think.
Why the H... should we have to pay export prices for home grown produce.
Eat more fish, the family Dish, as the ads go. How the heck can lower income people afford to feed a family on fresh fish.
It's just like our best fish..........it all goes, largely, to the Japanese market and we get the scraps and still have to pay the high price.
It's disgusting, I think.
Why the H... should we have to pay export prices for home grown produce.
Eat more fish, the family Dish, as the ads go. How the heck can lower income people afford to feed a family on fresh fish.
Re: Where has all the good lamb gone ? March 05, 2006 07:06AM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 336 |
Re: Where has all the good lamb gone ? March 05, 2006 08:22AM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 158 |
The domestic price is related to the export price. Think about it, why would a farmer sell his lambs at a much lower price for the domestic market to please the NZ consumer, when he can get a higher price from the export companies for the same product. It's no different with fish or honey.
Re: Where has all the good lamb gone ? March 05, 2006 10:39PM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 422 |
Steph - make friends with a sheep farmer!! Incidentally, we hardly ever bought NZ lamb (or British for that matter - not that my kiwi hubby would have let me regardless of price!!) when we lived in the UK, as it was horrendously priced!!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2006 06:39AM by lizab.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2006 06:39AM by lizab.
Re: Where has all the good lamb gone ? March 06, 2006 05:02AM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 7 |
We have all the good lamb !!
well first all lamb in New Zealand is all the same the local lamb is procured from manly export plants .
now the good news over the past few years world prices have been at a peek
but lamb will soon be back on the table as the prices are dropping very fast
but dont expect to see your supermarket bring them down in a hurry.
click the banner a the top of the fourm page.
Terry
well first all lamb in New Zealand is all the same the local lamb is procured from manly export plants .
now the good news over the past few years world prices have been at a peek
but lamb will soon be back on the table as the prices are dropping very fast
but dont expect to see your supermarket bring them down in a hurry.
click the banner a the top of the fourm page.
Terry
Re: Where has all the good lamb gone ? March 06, 2006 05:04AM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 158 |
Re: Where has all the good lamb gone ? March 06, 2006 08:28AM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 1,796 |
Yeah, I was quite glad terryl said that because I've had a couple of "export" lambs and they've been absolutely awful compared to the everyday lamb we can buy in our supermarkets. The last "export" lamb I had, my partner took one look at it (hadn't even cut it or tasted it) and said "is this mutton?" Needless to say, I won't buy "export" anymore. Maybe they were awful because they were on special which possibly meant they had been sitting in a freezer somewhere for months and months but even so...
Re: Where has all the good lamb gone ? March 06, 2006 09:40PM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 422 |
Re: Where has all the good lamb gone ? March 06, 2006 11:02PM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 7 |
HI Lizab,
its ok to do homekills for your own use ,its illegal to sell homekill meat
this is because some people kill and sell on the open market, and it ends up in restaurants and other food outlets because its cheap, Would you like to eat uninspected meat when dining out i know i don't want to. there is a very large trade in uninspected meat in new zealand. not to mention it put my job at risk we cant compete, as it cost us a lot to do it properly. people don't realize the cost of complying with our ever changing food regulations.
i hope that explains it for you
its ok to do homekills for your own use ,its illegal to sell homekill meat
this is because some people kill and sell on the open market, and it ends up in restaurants and other food outlets because its cheap, Would you like to eat uninspected meat when dining out i know i don't want to. there is a very large trade in uninspected meat in new zealand. not to mention it put my job at risk we cant compete, as it cost us a lot to do it properly. people don't realize the cost of complying with our ever changing food regulations.
i hope that explains it for you
Re: Where has all the good lamb gone ? March 06, 2006 11:30PM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 158 |
Lizab - There's no problem homekilling sheep, pigs (including wild pigs), even cattle for one's own consumption or to be given to a permanent employee for his/her consumption but it is illegal to sell it or barter it for other goods. You eat uninspected meat at your own risk.
The Animal Products Act 1999 states: 'A person (individual) who commits an offence against subsection (1) is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years and a fine not exceeding $100,000.
NZ Food Safety Authority do have an active investigation group operating.
Jennifer1 - Generally all meat that comes out of an export processing plant is exported. Occasionally export meat is released onto the domestic market for various reasons, eg, rejected consignment, old stock. Old stock would probably have "freezer burn" really dehydration and wouldn't be all that wonderful to eat.
The Animal Products Act 1999 states: 'A person (individual) who commits an offence against subsection (1) is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years and a fine not exceeding $100,000.
NZ Food Safety Authority do have an active investigation group operating.
Jennifer1 - Generally all meat that comes out of an export processing plant is exported. Occasionally export meat is released onto the domestic market for various reasons, eg, rejected consignment, old stock. Old stock would probably have "freezer burn" really dehydration and wouldn't be all that wonderful to eat.
Re: Where has all the good lamb gone ? March 07, 2006 12:08AM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 7 |
John,
Most meat sold in new zealand is from export processing plants, it is exportable until it leaves the plant then its deemed for local market only, it's not the meat its the licence the plant holds that make it export meat.
and over half the meat we export very low grade and for manufacturing (ie hamburgers) in fact 52%
Most meat sold in new zealand is from export processing plants, it is exportable until it leaves the plant then its deemed for local market only, it's not the meat its the licence the plant holds that make it export meat.
and over half the meat we export very low grade and for manufacturing (ie hamburgers) in fact 52%
Re: Where has all the good lamb gone ? March 07, 2006 05:03AM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 512 |
Re: Where has all the good lamb gone ? March 07, 2006 06:38AM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 422 |
Re: Where has all the good lamb gone ? March 07, 2006 08:50AM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 158 |
terryl - I don't know where you got your info from but it's completely wrong.
I've been involved with the meat industry (export and domestic) mainly with MAF for approximately 25 years and the bulk of meat from export plants goes overseas as I said above.
Yes, NZ export manufacturing grade meat (old ewes, wethers & cull cows from dairy herds) but the bulk of meat exported is prime, most of which is already cut into portions/cuts as specified by the customer (supermarket) and packaged ready to be priced and placed in the supermarket chilled display for sale.
Very few frozen carcasses are now exported. In fact, a large percentage of cuts are exported as chilled.
The UK is still the largest customer for lamb but NZ meat of all types (lamb & beef) is exported to most other countries in the world in varying amounts.
Every consignment of meat or meat product that leaves a licensed export plant must be accompanied with an Eligibility Document (Transfer Document) prior to the signing and issuing of an Export Certificate.
Meat from abattoirs are destined for the local market only and can not be exported.
I've been involved with the meat industry (export and domestic) mainly with MAF for approximately 25 years and the bulk of meat from export plants goes overseas as I said above.
Yes, NZ export manufacturing grade meat (old ewes, wethers & cull cows from dairy herds) but the bulk of meat exported is prime, most of which is already cut into portions/cuts as specified by the customer (supermarket) and packaged ready to be priced and placed in the supermarket chilled display for sale.
Very few frozen carcasses are now exported. In fact, a large percentage of cuts are exported as chilled.
The UK is still the largest customer for lamb but NZ meat of all types (lamb & beef) is exported to most other countries in the world in varying amounts.
Every consignment of meat or meat product that leaves a licensed export plant must be accompanied with an Eligibility Document (Transfer Document) prior to the signing and issuing of an Export Certificate.
Meat from abattoirs are destined for the local market only and can not be exported.
Re: Where has all the good lamb gone ? March 08, 2006 03:28AM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 7 |
Re: Where has all the good lamb gone ? March 09, 2006 05:30AM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 35 |
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