MEAT KILLINGS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 175, 19 June 1940, Page 5

MEAT KILLINGS

FURTHER SUBSTANTIAL RISE

LARGE INCREASE IN BEEF

As the meat export season near its close, it is becoming evident that the killings will be very substantially in excess of those of the previous season. The New Zealand Meat Producers Board, in advising detail:; of the killings for export at all works during t.he current season to ( Ist June,, status that the totai weight of meat of all classes handled for export, was 11,726,844 freight carcases, representing* an increase over the previous season's killings to 31st May, 1939 (the nearest comparable date) of 1,649,922 freight carcases. The improved production represents an increase of 16 : per cent. Lambs killed tlii;; season total 10,001,149 (North Inland 5,180,0(54 South Island 4,821,035) an increase of 716,048, to which the North Island contributed" 634,526 and the South Island 111,522. A very substantial increase is also shown in the mutton group,, the wether killings this season having been- 1,274,287 carcases, and /ewes 1,841,895. Compared with the corresponding period of the previous season, wether killings have decreased by- 141,000, but the killings of ewes for export have increased by 715,000, making a nett improvement this season of 574,000 carcases | ! This season's killings of beef in quarters total 510,49*; (North Island [503,358, South Island 7135), as compared with 331,598 quarters for las! (season, representing the large increase of 54 per ccnt, or 179,000 quarters. The special conditions of the original agreement with the United Kingdom Ministry oi' Food required farmers to carry a greater proportion of their pigs to the heavy bacj oner stage, with the result that although in numbers, the killings of porkers and baeoners have dropped by 115,000 (534,000 last season, and 419,000 this season) ,thc current season's production in actual weight is now equal to that of last year. North Island killings of porker carcases total 94,296 and of baeoners 309,355, whilst the South Island figures are: porkers 3773, baeoners 11,634. The statistics relating to stocks of meat in store as at Ist June last, show that shipping facilities have not only been able to cope with the heavy carryover which had to be lifted at the commencement of the war last September, but that current season's killings have been receiving excellent despatch.