By PHILIPPA STEVENSON agricultural editor
European meat traders have turned to New Zealand to help fill a food shortage as the impact of Britain's foot-and-mouth disease outbreak spreads across Europe.
Meat companies here say feelers have been put out by European distributors worried that a ban on British exports will leave them unable to meet demand.
Britain traditionally supplies 28 per cent of sheepmeat eaten in France during February and March. Outbreaks of the disease in Europe would add to demand for our meat and boost meat farmers' incomes.
Ripples from the disaster have reached New Zealand, with border protection at airports and ports being stepped up.
In Britain, more than 7000 farm animals have been slaughtered, and another 3500 killed in Europe, where no foot-and-mouth cases have been found but authorities fear the disease could spread.
Races were halted at the Newcastle track, close to the scene of one outbreak, and racing authorities were considering a wider ban.
At least three schools in virus-hit areas closed and teachers living on farms were told to stay home.
Hunts have been suspended, hiking groups have scrapped country walks and fishing streams are closed to anglers.
Prime Minister Helen Clark said the outbreak could create opportunities for New Zealand but it would be unkind to promote exports there at the moment.
"Obviously if there are outbreaks like this in Europe, then if it can't be contained in the longer term they're going to look for meat from somewhere and we are clean, certified exporters."
At New Zealand's international airports, border controls on British imports have been stepped up to match those for areas of Asia where foot-and-mouth is endemic.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's biosecurity spokesman, Stuart MacDiarmid, said all meat and meat products from Britain would be seized from travellers. Entry restrictions had been placed on dairy, milk and milk products, wool and breeding semen.
New Zealand has not imported commercial consignments of meat products from Britain for more than 10 years.
Meat Industry Association executive director Brian Lynch said companies could only speculate on whether they could respond to the demand because of the complexity of the global market and the constraints of farm production.
"It's difficult to read the market because the double whammy of BSE [mad cow disease] and foot-and-mouth has never occurred in our 120- year history of trading in Europe."
New Zealand's sheepmeat exports to Europe were restricted to an annual quota of 226,700 tonnes but that could be lifted under World Trade Organisation rules.
Epidemic specialist Professor Roger Morris, of Massey University, said the chances of the disease spreading to New Zealand were low.
UK crisis tipped to lift NZ exports
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