MEAT INDUSTRY

Hokitika Guardian, 29 December 1932, Page 7

MEAT INDUSTRY

REVIVAL IN AUSTRALIA. SEQUEL TO OTTAWA AGREEMENT. SYDNEY, December 15Experts says that a sudden revival in meat prices in London has (enhanced the value of Australia’s meat industry, .in the last gix wigeks, by more than £30,000,000. In fact, according to Mr W. C. Angliss, who was of the delegates to the Ottawa Conference, the adifed value to the Australian meat industry i s incalculable. Th e m e at industry, he says, is .profitable once again, and the meat works arc busier now than at any other time siuc e the war. Mr Angliss 6 aid that the rise was dQ i to the fact that, following the Ottawa Conference, the British Government decided to regulate the importation of meat into Great Britain. Price s ' were now stable, and the increase represented about 30 s a bullock, about 3s a carcase for lamb, and about 2sT6d a carcase 1o r mutton. By October last lT,e Australian mean trade was in th 0 doldrums. Th, e returns to th e exporters were just suffici e iH to p a y hand, ling charges and sea transport expenses. The producers were receiving nothing. Exporters were contemplating closing altogether. It simply was not worth while attempting to ship lambs ana shsiep to London.

Then, when things were at their worst, came the splendid news of the regulation of imports into Britain, and the ensuing steady ri% in the British market priaes for lamb, mutton and beef. As Great Britain took 4,000,00 u sheep and lambs annually, the rise in the export returns to the Commonwealth would be just'' on £600,000. Britain also took about 200,000 head of cattle, representing at the higher prices another £300,000 to the cattle raisers oi 'he Commonwealth. But that extra £900,0000 wag only a portion of the great beneficial effect. Th e price and (valu'e of all sheep and cattle in the Commonwealth had improved.

Local prices necessarily had to follow world parity. Australia consumed about 14,000,000 sheep and lambs annually, and 1,500,000 beef, cattle. On those figures the ideal market would yield the growers a locally, increased return of £2,0-0,000 on sheep and lambs and a further £3,770;000 on bullocks. Beyond' all these gains, however,, was the enhanced value of the 120,000,000 sheep and lambs still in the Commonwealth ■ and the 10,000,000 beef .cattle. On the hoof, therefore, the., sheep and lambs were worth to-day another £17,000,000, compared ’with their value two months ago, while the cattle world worth more. ■ It

was the best news Australia had had for years. Instead of waging a losing fight those engaged in the meat industry were now able' to do good business. The seasons had been good, and with better markets and better prices all the meatworks were working harder now than at any time during the last fourteen years.