LOW LAMB BASIS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20080, 28 October 1939, Page 4

LOW LAMB BASIS

! LESS THAN EXPECTED | GISBORNE OPINIONS BEEF SATISFACTORY ! LITTLE IN DISTRICT | i While they have not had an opporj tunity of studying the prices closely, | producers of the Gisborne district ; have expressed some dissatisfaction regarding the purchase prices of New Zealand lamb under the war-time commandeer.

They believe that the beef rates should be satisfactory, but the Gisborne district is not expected to be greatly concerned iri the export beef market during the coming season, as a result of the great reduction in the number of beef cattle during the past autumn, following on one of the most serious droughts the district has experienced for a long lime.

Station-owners of the district are engaged now in building up their cattle herds, and very few cattle are expected to be available to fill requirements outside the district or for export.

The lamb schedule is lower than many producers expected, and some go so far as to say that the basis is lower than the average received over the whole of the past season, but this is not borne out by estimates made by interests who have gone carefully into the figures, which reveal that lambs should return the farmers approximately the same, if not slightly better than last year, a 321 b lamb being worth almost £l.

Sheep Shillings Higher

Sheep appear to be on a more satisfactory basis for the farmer. According to estimates made, a 501 b wether should be worth nearly £l. or 4s to 5s better than at some periods last season.

Ox beef should give the farmer a return of approximately 30s per 1001 b, which is par to slightly better than during the past season, when prices were reduced to 27s 6d at one stage. A very interesting schedule of esti - mated returns per beast, frozen weight, has been worked out by one of the leading firms on lambs, sheep and cattle. As no indication has been given of the prices of the by-products, estimates have been made in these respects, and the ultimate prices given are estimates of what the producers should receive if the prices allowed for the by-products are in accordance with the Government figure. These estimates are given below. Lamb, 321 b Carcase

Charges.—Freezing, 2s 10.4 d; felling, Gd; pelt charge, sd: levy, ltd; total charges, 3s lid. By-products.—'Fat, Id; wool (21b), 2s; pelt, Is; total for by-products, 3s Id. Summary. Average Government price, £1 0s 3d; by-products, 3s Id: charges, 3s lid; return to producer. 19s sd. Wethers, 501 b Carcase Charges.—Freezing. 3s Gd: felling, Is: pelt charges, s.id; levy, lid; total charges, 5s 05d. By-products.—Fat, Id; pelt, Is 9d: wool (41b), 4s; total for by-products. 5s lOd. Summary. Average Government price, 18s 7ld; by-products, 5s lOd: charges, 5s 0,?d; return to producer. 19s 43d. Ox Beef, 7001 b Carcase Charges.—Freezing, £2 6s 8d; hide charge, 3s Gd; total charges, £2 10s 2d. By-products.—Fat (251 b). Is OJd; hide, £1 4s; tongue and tail, 2s; total by-products, £1 7s Old. Summary. Average Government price, £ll 14s 9d; by-products, £1 7s Oid; charges, £2 10s 2d; return to producer. £lO 11s 7id. Cow Beef, 5501 b Carcase Charges.—Freezing, £1 16s 8d; hide. 3s Gd; total charges, £2 0s 2d. By-products.—Hide, 15s; fat, lOd; tongue and tail, Is; total for by-pro-ducts, 16s lOd. Summary. Average Government price, £8 ss; by-products, 16s lOd; charges, £2 0s 2d; return to producer, £7 Is Bd.