>And the UK can't compete with NZ lamb prices. Mainly, I guess, because of the price of farmland (pushing £4,000 per acre) here which bears no relation to the possible agiricultural returns.....
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>Sunshine, alpine water and really wide paddock makes it easier/cheaper to grow quality produce. Also farming has become incredibly efficient since all subsidies were phased out >20 years ago.

Subsidies here have been switched from a per head basis to an acreage payment which itself is subject to derogation. I think most subsidies here will be phased out entirely within 5 years or so - but there's a grant system to encourage low-intensity, environment improving farming systems.

>FWIW it also generates less greenhouse emission to grow stuff in NZ even allowing for the transport because the climate is so mild, meaning animals roam freely and eat grass without needing to stay close to heated/cooled sheds or whatever.

Most sheep here are grazed on mountain areas. Only gathered a couple of times during the summer and brought down for lambing in the winter so it's not a lot of labour and not much additional feeding required. Of course they don't get particularly fat :-{

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>Paying 20% more for something that tastes 100% better sounds more sensible to me
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>Sure. Give me fresh produce any day. But what about 100% more for something that tastes the same (or worse?) ;-)

I should make it clear I wasn't referring to NZ lamb in my statement - it tastes great. I was thinking more of stuff like intensively reared chicken - the texture has a slight resemblence to meat and you can tell it's chicken because it doesn't taste of anything. Most people don't even seem aware of what a decent bird tastes like.....