THE FARM INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 526, 5 June 1909, Page 8

THE FARM INDUSTRY.

A BIQ INDUSTRY.

LAMB AND MUTTON EXPORTS,

MILLION CARCASSES IN A MONTH.

■In. the years when tho New Zealand frozen meat trade was j'urt beginning, Bomo'-of the optimists prophesied that the day would como. when, New Zealand would export as many as a million carcasses of sheop and lambs in a soason. That prediction—ridiculed at tho tirao—has been overwhelmingly fulfilled:, Tho industry has now reached a stage when a million lambs and sheep can bo exported in ono month. ■ Though the figures for May shipments are not quito complete, sufficient is known to show that the lamb and mutton exports by tho steamers timed to.sail from New Zealand during May exceeded oiks' million carcasses. .Of these steamers, however, tho Opawa, timed to sail on May 29', was detained at Lyttelton by tho block in tho shipping traffic, and did not get away till two or thrco days lator. Excluding her cargo, the month's exports of lambs and mutton exceeded 930,000 carcasses. Tho Opawa's cargo, to bo added to this, is estimated to have contained about 100,000 carcasses. . . These figures may be increased by the addition of the export during; tho month of upwards of 70,000 "legs and pieces" of mutton (representing about 17,500 sheep) and .34,000 quarters of beef, (representing about 8500 head of cattle). , , '