DOMINION LAMB PRICES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 46, 17 November 1937, Page 13

DOMINION LAMB PRICES

Benefits Obtained from Ottawa Pacts AUSTRALIA COMPETES The opinion that a great deal is due to the New Zealan^i representatives at the Ottawa ConfOrence in 1932 for the xuling prices -of 1am, b being maintained, in view of the 'increased quantities from the Dominion and Australia, was expressed by Mr. A. J. Murray, of Marlborough, who is visting England to study the nieat market, says a London writer, "It makee one wonder what the prices would have been," said Mr. Murray, ?had. not the Ottawa restrictions on foreign meat been made. From very reliable market information it is considered that supplies would have considerably exceeded the demand, with very serious results to New Zealand and Australia. Assuming that New Zealand lamb had been. affected by ld a Ib., and New Zealand mutton by £d a lb., which is probably a very conservative estimate, it would be equivalent to a- difference of over £1,500,000 a year to New Zealand." It appears to Mr. Murray to be essential that New Zealand must do her utmost to xetain the advantage in quality of mutton and lamb, and she must given every opportunity pf impoxting the best rams procurable. Authentic figures obtained from the ofSLce of the Ministry of Agriculture show that during the past seven years Australia has imported froai the United Kingdom a total of 343 sheep, of whicb 221 were rams. These rams are having the desired effect upon the quality of Australian lamb* During the same period Australia -as also imported 355 cattle through the London Quarantin'e Station and 98 direct from Scotland. The following table shows the quantities and average prices of lambs imported into the United Kingdom in 1931, the year prior to the Ottawa Agreement, and in 1936, and shows the effect of the restrictions on South America: —

New Zealand lamb has increased between 1931* and 1936 by 408,000 carcasses, and Australia during the same period by 1,242,000 carcases, while South America has been reduced by 1,479,000 carcasses. In 1931 New Zealand lamb was realising 1.36d more than Australian; in'1935, 0.86d; and in 1936, 0.72d, showing very distinetLy the extent to which Australia has improved her quality.

1931 1936 Car- Carcasses Price casses Price New Zealand 8167 7.76d 8575 7.50d Australia 3258 6.4Qd 4500 6.78d Sth. America 5379 6.04d. 3900 6.56d