FROZEN MEAT EXPORT.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3223, 28 October 1881, Page 3

FROZEN MEAT EXPORT.

The following letter, signed "Stoekowner," appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald :—" The news from the English market respecting the prices obtained for our Australian frozen meat may appear to some as not satisfactory or payable. There are doubtless many who would pronounce this trade a failure, caring little whether the majority suffer so long as they attain their private ends. But as the whole matter is looked at from a business point of view and by unprejudiced minds, it will be seen that those prices are highly remunerative, and will leave a large margin for profit as the following figures will show:—l shall take the prices obtained for the Cuzo beef, ■which, being sold in a dull market when the bulk of consumers of meat were out of town, on the Continent, brought from 4d to per lb, by which we can safely, assume that 5d per lb will be the lowest general average. Thus a beast weighing 8001b will bring £16 133 4d, and though the freight was 2 J per lb, overtures have been made by other steamship companies to carry in future for ljd per lb; add to this |d per lb for slaughtering, freezing, and delivery on board, per lb for commission and other expenses, the cost of dolivery in the London market will amount to 2£d per lb—thus leaving, taking the low average of 5d per lb, a profit of 2f d per lb, and giving the producer a net return of £9 3s 4d ; adding to this the proceeds of the hide, tallow and offal (at the lowest average 30s) brings the net return up to £10 13s 4d. In ordinary seasons a bullock of this class will not bring more than £4 at Homebush. I therefore say, without fear of contradiction, that should this export trade fall through, the same weight beast will be of tener under'than over £4. Take from this trainage from Orange, the point the frozen meat starts from 10s and 5s for commission, trucking, yard fees, &c leaves the producer a net return of £3 5s for this beast in Sydney as against £10 3s 4d netted through the same beast in the London market. 1 will not trouble you with the calculations on the mutton, for the simple reason that its sale is still more profitable than the beef. Trusting that this matter will not be neglected or lost sight of through the croaking of any prejudiced individuals."