AUSTRALIAN MEAT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 668, 13 May 1914, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN MEAT.

DEMAND EXCEEDS SUPPLY

It is not generally known, but at the present time Australia is absolutely unable to supply her orders fnr meat. Cable orders for large quantities of canned meats arrive daily from all parts of the world, and merchants find it impossible to fill them. Recently one firm in Sydney had an order for 10,000 capes of canned b'eef by cable from ins United States, an had to reply "impossible to procure." The same firm cuuld buy to-day 60,000' cases for various customers, and can not get it anywhere or at any price.* Every inch of space on the steamers for America and Canada is occupied with lines such as frozen meat, butter, canned meats, wool, and even onions. More vessels are urgently required for the Pacific porta of North America. By a large numbsr of people it is imagined that Australia can supply much larger quantities of produce than she bas been doing. This is a mistake. Her capacity is limited. It must be rememoered that each year there is a larger local demand as population increases, and the increase of crops or stock will not, at the present rate of progress, do more than supply that demand, eo anything that U shipped to new countries such as North America will coma off what is shippsd as a rule to Great Britain. The price, however, will be the factor; the country '.which offer 3 the beßt terms will get the produce. It is all in the interest of the producer, who at last i 3 going to get bisfair share of the good things going. He has had many years of low prices. Now, to all appearance, he is going to get something back.