THE FROZEN MEAT INDUSTRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2815, 26 February 1908, Page 6

THE FROZEN MEAT INDUSTRY.

if onaKespeare were alive to-da}'. and. ■were lie to ask again the> question, Upon what meat does this our Caesar feed that he is grown so groat ? " the answer would inevitably be "Frozen mutton fiom New Zeals nd."' It is impossible to contemplate without considerable gratification tlie marvellous development of the frozen meat trade, which, commencing fifteen years ago with a> modest export, of less than 9000 carcases, has reached the record for the year just ended of close upon 57000,000 carcases — an increase 1 only to "bet fitly described by Dominiet Sampson's favourite adjective " Pro-di-gi-ous. v And when the further fact is borne in upon us that of the 10,000,000 carcases of frozen mutton and lamb imported into the United Kingdom last j*ear the 1 Dominion of New Zealand contributed nearly one-half — the Argentine sending 3,000,000 and Australia the balance - — the sense of satisfaction at the situation is in nowise diminished. The arrival by this week's mail of (lie usual annual reviews of the frozen meat trade places us in. possession of a number of interesting facts and figures concerning this valuable industry, which has aided so materially in the present prosperity of the Dominion. The total importations of beef, mutton, and lamb into the United Kingdom amounted during last year to 516,357 tons, or an increase of 7.3 per cent, on the 1906 total of 480,893 tons. The importance of this source of food supply to Ihe inhabitants of Great Britain is ?sen in the statement that, while the population of the United Kingdom is increasing at th& rate of some 400.000 every } r ear, thei home-bred supplies are practically stationary. This renders especially interesting the analysis that of the total importations the British Empire — i.e., Australia and New Zealand — supplies 33 per cent, (all frozen), South America contributes 41 per cent, (chilled and frozen), and the United States adds the remaining 23 p&r cent, (all chilled). There is reason to believei that the rapid growth of population in the United States is responsible for so large an increase in the consumption of meat that it is unlikely the export to Great Britain will increase, but rather the reverse 1 . Thus the growing demands of the people of the United Kingdom will have to be supplied. b} r New Zealand, Aiistralia, and the Argentine, more especially as there are no indications of the opening up of any fie%h sources of supply. Coming to the particular article in which New Zealand specialises, we learn that the total imports into the United Kingdom last year amounted to 5.800,351 carcases, or an increase of 682,180 carcases on the previous year, and displacing the previous record of 5.582.083 carcases in 1903. The total imports of lamb are also the largost on record, amounting to 4,349,594 carcases, or 668,363 carcases in excess of the import in 1906. And the Colonial Consignment and Distributing Company makes the significant leraark : " The increase of 437,674 cai cases from New Zealand, coming on the top of an increase of 431.155 carcases in 1906. is phenomenal, and invites speculation as to the limit of New Zealand's production." The total export last year of 4.796,755 carcases (1,971,853 sheep and 2,824,904 lambs) represented 22.85 per cent, of the flocks in tlie Dominion, according to the figures of the census of last April. Computed upon the same figures, Otago's export is 15.98 per cent., Canterbury's 41.69 per cent., Wellington's 20.54 per cent., and Napier's 17.26 per cent. The actual export from Otago was 179.267 sheep and 437,738 lambs, or an increase over the previous year of 40,121 sheep and 165,635 lambs. In regard to price, the past year was marked by the usual decline as the 3"ear progressed, the highest point being touched at the opening of the j r ear and the lowest in, October. While it is true that thei whole of the increased import has gone into consumption, it is pointed out that this has been at moderate prices, 'jnd that invariably any attempt to

increase prices was followed by a 1 restricted output. Thus one of the problems which the New Zealand breeder, in co-operation with the freezing companies, is called iipon to facei is the reduction in the expense of placing the frozen product upon the English market. In regard to 1 the outlook for the coming year, the Colonial Consignment Company states :

It is more than usually difficult to express an}' confident opinion regardinrr the prospects for the coming 1 year. On the one hand the position of the national trade, coupled with the ease with which record quantities of frozen meat- have been put into consumption during the pa«t year, indicate that there should be little difficulty in disposing of next year's probable supplies at about the same level of \ alues. On the other hand, financial-- st,ie«s is bound to affect the prosperity of the industrial districts, and experts are not lacking who state that the countiy is on the eve of a cycle of depression. For some time past the difficulty in effecting even the smallest advance in values, and the consequent restraint on the consumption, have shown the inelasticity of the purchasing power of the public. There is no prospect of competitive supplies from directions other than those that have furnished competition in the past, but if the internal competition between importers, which has maiked the last few months, is prolonged the effect on prices is bound to be detrimental to shippers.

It was matter for extreme mortification when, some while back, a trial shipment of chilled beef sent from New Zealand to the Home market proved an absolute failure. But, judging from the success of an experiment made by Argentine shippers, there is solid ground for hopes of development even in this direction. Messrs W. Weddel and Co. report :

In, September very considerable interest was created in the River Plate trade by the shipment of a parcel of 1058 quarters of chilled beef per s.s. Guardiana., under the new process known as the Liniey process of the Improved Chilling Company (Limited), for assisting refrigeration 111 keeping beef in good condition. The beef was carried throughout the \ovage at the high average temperature of 31ide^ F., and was delivered here in sound, bright condition, entirely free from either frost or mould. In appeal anco the beef in the quarter, and after being cut up, as nearly as possible resembled fiesh killed beef, and was unanimously agreed to -be nearly perfection in the matter of condition. Arrangements are being made to extend the use of this system. Some of the beef was left, on board the steamer for a period of 45 days, and was in perfect condition at the end of that time, so that the shipment of chilled beef from Australia and New Zealand is now brought within the bounds of possibilits\ ! Thus, if the Dominion, in addi- ' tion to retaining her present premier position in the frozen, meat trade, can build up a substantial export in chilled beef, can afford to view the future with a fair I amount of composure and with a piospect of a satisfactory financial return foi their labour and enter- j prise. I