THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1593, 25 June 1887, Page 3

THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Ths changeable weather during the week ended May 6th caused a. decided check to the deaoVmeat trade, and prices have consequently been somewhat Irregular. Choice email mutton is dearer, while fat sorts hare fetched Indifferent prices. The home-grown sheep whloh have recently been plaoed on the market are m many instances 111-conditioned, being only half fed. This clearly shows that our farmers are not over supplied with foed, and how mnch warm weather is needed for the country. Frozen mutton is dull, tnd a lower range of prfoea Is quoted. Although some salesmen state that 3s can still be obtained for prime Canterbury sheep, the majority of sales are nearer 2s 10 A, and good oaroaeea can eaclly bo obtained for 2» Bd. The total oonsign. ment Of frozen oaroases anivicg m thu country last month amounted to 156,350 sheep and 30,400 lambs. Of these totals 96,400 sheep oame from New Zealand and 221,369 from the Rive? Plate. The following were the quotations :— New Zealand mutton, 2s 6i to 2s lOd ; New Zealand lamb, 2s 8d to 4s ; Melbourne mutton, 2s 7d to 2s 8d : Falkland leland mutton, 2a 6d to 2s 7d ; River Plate mutton, 2b 6d ; Scotch rantton, mto 4a 8d ; English mutton, wethers, 3b lOd to 4», ewes, 3s 4d to 4<i 8i ; German mutton, wethers, 3s 8d to 4), ewes, 3s 4d to 3i Bd.-~ •• British Australasian."

When the frozen meat industry waa ■tarted m thia diatriot, the opinion was vety generally expressed that the supply of iheep Ooaid not be kept up. This was the opinion «f some who wtre entitled to bo conslderecd the most capable of form* Ing » correct estimate. That the supply has been kept up and Increased to oagh an extent Is now a matter of surprise to even the moat sanguine. It a'moot seems as i£ we will shortly be m the position of a rival aa a food supplier to Chicago with its hogs ; and that some day wo may lose the name of " the White Stone Olty " and have " Muttonopolia " substituted, From figures supplied to us, wo gather that, In the district at present, there are being killed daily over 27C0 sheep. Of this number close on 1000 are beJDg killed at Finlinoon and Go's. Kakanol Works and l&aberio abattoirs, tfye bahnoe at Eveline abattoirs, and by the various butchorfl. Messra Fhilinson and Go's. Kakanui Works aie expected to .be kept going for another 5 or 6 woeks. This will make a season of about 5 months, daring whioh time there will have been slaughtered 140.C00 sheep for preserving and boiling down. From the following it .will bo Been r that the frozen mutton Indnnlty is atieamlng large proportions. Within the neat month or 5 weeks there will be sent from this dlstrfot 53,000 ' sheep by <ho following vessels :— Oaraaru, now loading here, Eimutako, Tainui, and Eidcrslle from Pott Ohnlmen —M North pt^o Tim§i,"