MEAT PRICES INCREASED

Chronicle (Levin), 13 September 1947, Page 7

MEAT PRICES INCREASED

press Associati-jn )

NEW SCHEDULE TO COVER ADDED COSTS

(Per

WELLINGTON, Sept. 12. Iuiportant announeements concerning ■ nieat, pig meat and superphosphate prices ±'or the 1947-4S season, wero inade tonight by the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Cullen. The Minister recailed that when the Government annouuced the caneellaiion or subsidies related to primary production, the Minister of Finance had stated coinpensatory adjustments vvould be ma.de in the prices of farm produce. The schedule now announced took full account of the eH'ect on farmers' costs consequent on the withdrawal of these subsidies. Allowance had also been inade for increases in the wages of agricultural workers consequent on the recent pronouneement of the Arbitratiou Court. Mr. Cullen said he was pleased to state that the new prices had been approved following full and complete agreejnent with representatives of 'the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board. "1 trust this anuouncement will allay any fears that niight be held by Ihe farmers as to complete reiniburseinent of their increased costs and that this anuouncement of the new season 's schedule will lead to niore intensive eiiorts by the meat producers as their contribution toward helping Britain iu her time of greatest need. In particular i wish to stress the need for farmers to take full advantage of the supplv of fertilisers which is available and 1'or which full allowance has been made in the prices announced." The new opening schedule of prices for lamb, mutton and quarter beef for the 1947-48 season will be: — Lambs. Wooily: Prime Down cross and prime U'anterbury: 20/36 lbs, 10td; 37/42, 10yd; 43/50, 10id; 51/56, 9yd. Prime crossbred: 20/36, 101d; 37/42, lOijd; 43/50, 9£d; 51/56, 9§d. " Seconds: 20/36, 9 yd; 37/42, 9gd; -13/50, 9^(1. North Island Wethers. Prime: 48/U, 7id, 49/64, 6yd; 65/90, us for 641 bs at 6yd, equals 36s 8d. Beconds: 64/U, 6yd; 65/72, as for 64lbs at 63d, equals 34s. South Island Wethers. Prime: 48/U, 6yd; 49/64, 6yd; 65/90, as for 641bs at 6yd, equals 35s 4d. Seconds: 64/U, 63d; 65/72, as for 64 lbs at 6g(l, equals 32s 8d. Ewes: 64/U, 4':2d; 65/90, as for 641 bs at 4:]d, equals 25s id. Quarter Beef. Ox: g.a.q., 720/ U, 51s per 100 lbs; 0/720, 48s; f.u.q., all weiglils 43s. Jleit'er: g.a.q., 720/U, 50s; 0/720, 47s; f.a.q., all weights 42s. Cow: g.a.q., all weights 41s 6d; f.a.q., 36s 6d. Boner beef: Ox, bull, cow and heifer, 2Ss 6d. .Mr, G. II. Grigg, chairniun of the Meat Board, said tonight that complete agreement liad been reached between the board and Government about the uew season 's i'at stock prices. This early anqouncemeut would relieve pro dueers ' minds of a fcar that no eompeu satory adjustment in price was to bt made following the GovonimghT V' decision to Avitlulraw eertain subsidies at present paid out of tlie industry'sstabilisatiou aeeount. ALr. Grigg eon lirmed that the new prices fully covered the produce" for increased costs oi production resulting from increased prices of fertiliser, increased wages etc. There was no need, said Mr. Grigg for hiiu to remiiul producers of Britain's dire plight. Ile felt that the real practical assistance must come from the Domiuiou's farmers. "We must do our ulmost to replace what Britain had been obliged to cul from her food iutports. " Mr. Grigg appealed to meai producers to increase their usage ot fertiliser to ruake an ever increasiug surplus of food available for export to Britain. This season 's meat production was a record and he hoped next season and the following oue would establisf uew records. Phosphate Prices. .Mr. Cullen announced that the suh sidy on siiperplib.sphute would be re moved on Septeniber 14, from which date the following uew prices woulu operate: — North Island: In jute bags £10 2s in paper bags £9 10s. , Houtli Island: £10 13s aud £10 ls. The .Minister said that owing to the shortage of jute bags half this season 's output oi fertilisers would be in paper bags and half in jute. To allow for the recoverv of jute bags a differential ot 12s per.ton had been (ixed. The highet price 111. the South Island was mostly accounted for by the mainteuance oj "free deliverv points, the cost ot which lmd been materiaJly incroaset by the adjustnient *11 r^il freight rates. The Minister stresscd that the neu uieat sehedule prices ineluded a fub allowance for ihe increased cost 01 superphosphate. "The use of superphosphate must play a Jarge part in our ell'orts to increase our primary produe fion in the next few mouths and ovei .Ihe longer term 0f the next few years,' said the Minister. ' ' The Government will see that cost increases are fairlv met and I am conlident that the farmers, for their part, will use all the -uiperpho.sphate nectssary to ensurc that the 1947-45 season is oue of record production." Pig Schedule. An increase in the pig schedule prices of a halfpenny per lb dressed vuica.se weight for porkers and baeoners, was also announced by Mr. Cullen who said this increase had beeu approved by the Governuicut to olfsct the recent withdrawal of the pig crop subsidy of £5 per aere which operated for the past two seasons. The increase fully met. the claim of the Nationa] Pig Couneil arising fronr the withdrawal of the subsidy. The increase would operate from Oetober 1 and the new "prices would be: — Porkers: 60/120, North Island 9d, South Island 9j-d. Bacouers: 120/L75, North Island 9d -South Island 9-]d; 176/185, North Island SJd. South Island S]d. M r. Cullen said this early announceinent shouhl assist farmers to plau extra production in the vonnug season and all farmers would. realise that increased pig production was an essential part of our nafional elfort to aid Britain iu the present crisis. The Minister said advice recently

had been received that the British Ministry of Food would continue to purchase the whole of our exportable pig meuts up to 1950. He was conlident that, with the increase in prices now approved and the marketing of our produce assured for the next threo sea sons, producers would respond with a markcd increase in ])roductiou. Phosphate Prices. The new superphosphate prices show prices per ton ex works' or free on rail in both islands, the ftgures being in respect of supplies to "a user. " A supplement to the Gazette sets out the various eiasses of sale as follow: — First schedule: Maximum prices, sacks or paper bags ineluded, for 44/46. super manufactuFed in the South Island and sold at Burnside, Hornby, liavensbourne, Ashburton, Balclutha, Gore, Invercargill, Oamaru or Timaru to the user, £10 13s in jute sacks (£10 ls in paper bags), to a storekeeper £10 10s (£9 18s), to a merchant £10 7s 6d (£9 15s 6d), to dairy companies £10 7s 6d (£9 15s 6d), to a farmers' organisatiou £10 7s 6d (£9 15s 6d). Second sehedule: For 44/46 super manuf'actured in the North Island and sold at Aramoho, Otahuhu, fSmart Hoad (New Plyiuouth), Te Tapapa or Westfield, to user in jute sacks £10 2s (£9 10s in paper bags), to a storekeeper £10 (£9 8s), to a merchant £9 17s 6d (£9 5s 6d), to dairy companies £9 17s 6d (£9 5s 6d), to a farmers' organisation £9 17s 6cl (£9 5s 6d). * ■