OUR FROZEN PRODUCE LETTER.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14833, 26 November 1913, Page 13

OUR FROZEN PRODUCE LETTER.

THE UNITED STATES DEMAND.

A BCTT 32I CAMPAIGN.

( LONDON, October 17. The fact tb at f° rward fewness in frown meat is So active just now in soit« of the general dullness and lower fisures of the current sales market, is evidonco that everyone is looking forward to dearer- meat later on The large remainder of New Zealand lambs haro dropped their prices, and with a dragging trade few making (Canterbury) from o 9-lbd to od, according to weight. The new Beason Australian lambs which have come to hand early this month make up to ojd, .out these will not be plentiful until next month and onward. New Zealand ewe mutton would have been stronger had it not been for the abundance of Australian, which has caused it to decline to Last month South. America reached a low record in her output of frozen mntton and beet, up to the end of the first week of this month Argentina is nearly 30 per cent, below her mutton exports of the same period last year, when her output was 1 950,000 carcases. Her lamb ship- ! ments are only 425,000, against 566,000 last voar. Exporters will realise that with "general frozen meat rates at their present level the trade here is complaining all round, some- cay as a reaction from the high prices of May and Juno lambs. Judging from present purchases for the new season, prices will hare to be high next year, and if the trade is to bo easy on this footing the big retailing houses will have to make a firm stand to raise the price to the consumer. THE AMERICAN FACTOR. The purchasing oi frozen oeef tor the Liv Leu states w.uich I epolio or in my iaot letter still goes on unai>ateci, ana one ana the otner tell mc tnac ail tneooef nere seoms to bo snapped up. iioidtrs of Australian and new Zealand supplies must De Denenuug greatly trom tms, ana tno eltect on lurwaru business, in view of tiiu uncertainty of supplies, is very marked. Australian beet has Deen very weil received iatcly here, on account of its very goc<l quality. XS'ew Zealand is fortunately now on tiio same looting as Atistraiia, in securing entry for her meat into the Uiiitea States on the ante and i>os±~inorteni examination certiiicate. i>r. A. D. Aielviiie, the chief otticial of the United States Bureau of Animal Industry, who is to investigate the conditions of the frozen meat industry in J\ew Zealand personally, will doubtless be very favourably influenced by his visit, and this should have a good effect, as America will undoubtedly bo tho customer for the better-cia&s meat in many centres, and will, of course, pay iveil tor the premium ot quality. Tho acquisition of tho freezing works of the Jmgerihco Argentino by Messrs tschwarzschild and Sulzberger must be counted another victory for tho Americans. It is said that tno lato President" ot toe Argentine company was recently m .burope, seeking to find a purchaser for those works. The fact that they have passed into American hands would lead one to believe that English bidders could not equal in prico their American cousins' offers. " Tho American Meat Packers' Association, which had its convention in Chicago afc tho timo of the third International Congress of Refrigeration last month, had the subject \>f United States' meat supplies all to the fore. Ihe burden of speakers' recommendations was that the American farmer should bo aroused, when the increasing demand could soon bo met.ex? 0 "U Mr lra y J or, the vice-president of the National Stock Yards' National Bank bfc Louis, argued that sources outside the United States of America could not cope with her great needs. He said.- "-Mexico needs-to buy instead °f !? and Argentina, the only rival of the United States as a cattle-produc-ing furnishes statistics which should satisty tho most timid that no fear need be entertained as to imports of cattle or beef products from that country for many years. New Zealand, hko Australia, is too small a factor to 'be considered in this connexion. Her total supply of cattle of all classes is not sufficient, if it were all available, to re-stock the barren ranches of Texas." The report of the Meat Packers' Committee said: "The public must.not,be misled into thinking that a mere reduction or an obliteration , of duties will produce, meat.', . It is estimated • that the beef cattle supply of the United States shows n decrease in three years from actual slaughtering of six and a quarter million head, during which timo tho population has increased more than ■five millions. BUTTER; In their current market report Messrs W. Wcddel and Co. make significant reference- to the new United States Underwood Tariff as it may affect the -butter market. On the 3rd iust., tho day before the Tariff came into operation, the prico of best butter in Now York was 149s 4d per cwt, while in Montreal it was 129s 6d per cwt. Tho Tariff reduces the duty on butter by 2J cents, or l}d per lb, or 11s 8d per cwt, from tho 6 cents per lb charged undor tho Payno Tariff. Messrs Weddel are correct in saying, that the effects of these reductions will be watched with intense interest by tho dairy trade in this country and in the British Dominions. — Tho remark of Mr D. J. Nathan, at a deputation to the Prime Minister on tho subject of butter, that h© would not allow a pound of New Zealand butter to go to Canada except in pound pats bearing the. Government 6tamp, reminds mc of the progress New Zealand has yet to make before it < will have reached its proper position in this country. It is & long discussion as to whether marketing methods here are responsible for tho fact that New Zealand butter does not in'the main reach tho consumer as such, but whatever tho reason, it would seem that it is only increased tjublicity which can win for Dominion butter its proper place in the -mind of tho consumer. The Government Vould be doing a great work for its dairy industry if it took up this matter strongly.and pushed a. big camipaign forward in tho British Press. Individual firms cannot bo expected to do .this, and tho approaching danger of margarine competition makes this crusade all the more desirable.,