FROZEN MEAT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 866, 12 July 1910, Page 8

FROZEN MEAT.

The current values of frozen meat at flimlhfleld , are considerably hirrhe" l!-.->n they were a year aso, notwithstanding that there was a. fall Inst week. North Island mutton, best brands, wore niio!e-d .'act year at 2f;l. ner 111., while now t'vprice is 3 9-16(1.; selected North Island Inmb was last year 3Sd. ; it is now 5Jd. Ecw Zealand beef, hindquarters, last year made <!Jd.. hut is now quoted at 3 5-16(1. It was tile lamb market that wns most affected la£t year, this heins: owing to the enormous sncnlics available and heavy shipments afloat, and yet, when wo loo'k mto the statistics, the shiDments are heavier this year. Takinz the Uiuren Riven in the monthly products exnort leaflet the shipments o£ lamb for the first half of the current, year compare 'vith those of the corresnondinir period of last year as under:—

Carcasses. Carcasses. 1910. 1909. January 219.826 232.4-I4 February 313.074 3<!R.P."6 March 405,276 359.505 April 595.431 532.235 May 5J9.375 653,9,14 June 571.491 508.289 2.698.491 2,665.253 The?o figures show that there is a small increase this year, but tho difference in price is very pronounced. The inference is this, that last year tho consumers wero unable to afford tho usual prices, and the slackened demand caused stocks to accumulate. Kventually, to stimulate consumption, prices had to be reduced, hence tho slump. The values of the frozen meat shinned dunne; tho past six months, when compared with the first half of last year, show as under:— 1910. 1909. £ £ Mutton 791.045 777.911 Lamb 1,464.331 1.511.948 Beef 367,423 283.830 2.622,799 2.573.G&9 T!ie totals for lamb can scarcely be correct.. There is an increased, export this year, and the prices are liieher. yet, the acgrcEatc for ISO 9 is 'usher in tho above table. There must be eomothins vr- , Willi the declared values, but it iu well to bear in mind that the leaflet ilaurei! are subject to alteration. The ouantity 01 beef exported during tho six months was 304.217ewt., atr.iinst 2«.G4?eivt. in ti:o first half of last year.