Govt 'tone deaf' on halal meat industry's needs

Meat industry says the government is knee-capping the sector. (Image: Alliance)

Tue, 14 Dec 2021

Reports the government will only approve 15 long-term critical worker visas for halal butchers show it is “tone-deaf to the needs of business,” said Meat Industry Association chief executive Sirma Karapeeva.The sector desperately needs at least 45 such workers and “this miserly approval knee-caps the ability of the second-largest goods export sector to fully contribute to the New Zealand economy and capture a higher value from our exports”, said Karapeeva. According to the MIA, halal-certified products contribute ap...

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