MEAT EXPORT TRADE

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2036, 22 March 1907, Page 4

MEAT EXPORT TRADE

COMPETITION OF THE ARGENTINE. Mr. John Cooke, of Messrs. John Cooke and Co., the well-known frozen meat exporters, has returned to Melbourne after 12 months’ tour in Europe, 'whore ho made investigations in regard to tho possible expansion of Australia’s meat export trade. Australian lamb, he stated in a recent interview, is almost invariably described as Canterbury or Now Zealand. It is a very rare thing indeed to see or hear of Australian lamb described as such. It is a serious prejudice to Australian lambs that nearly every retailer in the United States asks for Canterbury lambs and it is the astute Loudon dealer who benefits by New Zealand’s reputation.

A circumstance that prevents Australia from securing better prices is tho presence of secondary and inferior quality carcases. Light weight lambs are required, because the public likes small joints, but they must be fat. There is nothing but loss for those who ship plain, unfinished lambs. A large proportion of inferior Australian lambs scorns to be shipped every year, and this greatly reduces the value of the prime carcase, and generally does discredit to the trade as a whole. There is absolute necessity, in Mr. Cooke’s opinion, for more strictness in grading lambs, ahd there is certainly a further absolute nccesisty for more care in dressing lambs. Ho does not think the competition of Argentina in the lamb trade will trouble Australia for a considerable time.

It is a significant fact that the bulk of the chilled and frozen beef from Argentina is now not only more unfinished than previously, but a great deal younger, an indication that tho herds are being prematurely depleted. This has been mainly brought about by tho freight contracts entered by several companies for large monthly quantities. These engagements have to be filled irrespetive of tho cost of the cattle and sheep, and at present heavy losses are being made by exporting companies to the great advantage of the producers. He is satisfied that Australia can compete with Argentina in the matter of quality, both of beef and mutton. Of course, Australia suffers by the higher freights, in many cases paying exactly twice the freights paid by those in Argentina. A new line of steamers ,equipped with such storage accommodation as is proposed under the new mail contract, would, he thinks, be a great advantage to the exporting companies. Ono thing that impressed Mr. Cooke greatly was the entire change in the attitude of the people at Home towards Australia. Tho present prosperity has caused a complete revulsion in Australia’s favour.