Frozen Meat Trade.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 303, 29 June 1896, Page 2

Frozen Meat Trade.

The following excerpt from the speech of Mr William Nelson to the shareholders in James Nelson and Sods, Limited, should have some interest for -mutton ' growers and beef exporters :-^ w Prbiri;ine figures in the report yon will be able, with a little calculation to arrive at the following average weights of our sheep"; 1892, 4111 b; 1893, 41*llb ; 1894, 45-6lb ; ; and in 1895, 4571 b, This steady increase in weights is not only an indication of the improvement of quality which is going on as a consequence of the large- importation of prize stock into the Argentine Republic during recent years, but it is to some \ extent the source of our enhanced profits, \ inasmuch as it reduces the cost of band- \ ling per pound. The steadiness; 'and established character of the frozen meat trade in the Kiver Plate is also, of course, an inducement to the estancieres to take pains in the breeding of their stock, and to exercise every precaution so that: the animals may be delivered in the Fabrica in prime condition. _ I therefore see no reason why this improvement in breed ! and quality should not continue and en* able us to open a strong competition with New Zealand. At .the moment we , can produce more suitable and better quality mutton and beef than Australia. As $»•• gards the beef business this has been re* ceiving the attention of the directors with the result that they have decided it is a business to be encouraged, as the beef ean ( be brought here in excellent condition. Machinery specially arranged for its freezing has been sent out and erected in South America, and rooms, have been reserved for its preparation. I see DO reason why a business quite as large as that of the sheep trade— perhaps not in number of animals but in weight of meat — should not be done by the company, more especially if the projected stoppage of the importation of live cattle becomes law. Sucn a law could have no effect other than beneficial to this company. The Board have gone carefully into the business, and the result so far has been most satisfactory. The quality of tjie cattle now being* used has altered even more quickly than the most sanguine could have anticipated. The English have taken to frozen meat very freely as an article of food; and as the freight from River Plate to this country is very considerably less than from Australia the distance only being about one-half— w« look forward to a great extension of this trade, which should equal in volume (as I said before) that of the mutton in a very short time." J ' : :