THE FROZEN MEAT MARKET

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 263, 31 July 1920, Page 10

THE FROZEN MEAT MARKET

From Our Special Correspondent." Palnnrtton North, July 29. Some interesting information as to the-position of frozen meat on the Home markets is contained in a letter dated June .1, from Messrs. Gilbert Anderson and Co., Ltd., to Messrs. M. A. Elliott and 00. > . • Tho writers state: Australasian mutton is the chief topic of the trade, and the last month lias certainly seensome changes in the distribution of this article. On May 3 individual stall-hold-ers at Smithfield were at liberty to buy their- requirements from importers on the basis of 3d. per lb. delivered at the market for wethers and ewes, and Is. Id. per lb. for lamb, less fy per cont. commission. With deliveries irregular as to size and condition of meat, many, would-be enterprising firms found _ that they had to sell under the price to clear before the close x>f the market, and so. sales wero. far from numerous. On May 17 the Food Controller again took oyer from the Board of Trade tho responsibility of clearing the imported meat and prices were altered as follow: Now Zealand- cut ewes 7d. per lb.; Tincut ewes, Bd.; cut wethers and tegs, !id.; unout wethers and tegs, 9d. Australian cut ewes, 6'jd. pen lb.; uncut ewes, 7sd.; cut. wethers .'and tegs. 7Jd.; uncut we-, thors and tegs, 9d. The schedule prices order for cut joints was revoked and the commission to wholesalers increased to 3d. per stone. ' Undoubtedly this alteration has been an. Incentive td buyl crsv to operate, and there has been a 1 marked increase in the demand for mutton; our sales alone of mutton\ in London from the 17th \tb tho-29th ult. being 3G.000 carcasses. Although/ stale New Zealand lambs are selling freely at Is. Id. -per lb., straight bright lambs would fetch high prices in the absence of control. Tho Hoard of Trade also onnonnce that they have released ■ all shipments of New'Zealnnd meat that wo actually available in store. There are, however, A\ number of vessels in course of discharge. Australian stocks aro not so clear.- It must not ba forgotten, however, that some thousands of are in' tho hands of agents and distributor*. Home supplies—mutton in particular—are short, with prices still controlled. Imported beef has'met with a demand. New Zealand ox ff\U freely nt--Bd. for fores and Is. far hinds; 7d. for cow fores and 11d. for hinds; sjd. for bull fores and lOd. for h>ds. -

Tho arrivals of meat for May were:— ', ' •'• " Carcasses Carcasses Qrs. Mutton. Lamb. Beef. Soutlt America 142,350 63,303 427,051 Australia 78,320 31,126 2G3 New, Zealand . 218,176 219,09 a 28,294 Totals .'..... 438,852 313,528 450,208 New Zealand Lambs in America, Mr. Neil Campbell ha 9 received intimation from his brother in America to the effect that New Zealand lamb was sellins there at 2s. per lb. for hindquarters and Is. 7d. for fores, and meeting with a ready demand which showed every indication of increasing. An authority, who should be in a position to know, states that'the lamb which was offering on Hie American market at the time tho letter was written is oonio which was purchased bv American firms at 73d. per lb. in Wellington. This would allow tho lamb to land in America after all charge.? of froiplit, insurance and commission at about 103. per lb. This menns that a profit is being made of Is. 2d. per lb. on hinds and od. per lb. on fores.