Success in Meat Export

Patea Mail, 16 June 1882, Page 3

Success in Meat Export

Steamships are no longer necessary for carrying frozen meat from this colon}' to England. Complete success has been achieved by the experimental cargo of frozen meat sent recently in a sailing ship from Port Chalmers to London. The refrigerating machinery on the ship was worked by a small engine, and the meat was landed in perfect condition. It has realised the highest average price of any colonial meat shipped Home, so for as we have noticed.

One part of the shipment realised in London 6d a pound for mutton wholesale, and some carcases offered later fetched 6Jd a pound. A second part of the shipment was sent to Glasgow, and the mutton realised there 7d a pound, and some lamb carcases 7£d. Graziers can reckon for themselves the margin of profit that remains after deducting all expenses of freezing and shipment. Sheep which averaged 14s for 80 pounds dead weight in Dunedin fetched at Home an average of 4f d per sheep. A difference of 29s 3d over the colonial value should leave' a large margin of profit to the grower. Take the price in this district as averaging only 12s for fat sheep, there will be the value of skin and fat, and the ultimate selling value at Home of 6£d a pound dead weight. Say the total is 44s to 46s ; and deducting local value, there remains at least 30s per sheep of 80 pounds as the increased value gained by freezing and shipment Home. The freight and sale charges of the Dunedin cargo absorbed 3d a pound—say 3£d from this district ; and deducting this amount from the 30s above, there remains a clear ultimate gain to the grower of 6s to 7s per sheep, equal to a gain of about 60 per cent, on the local value of fat sheep. Perhaps something would have to be allowed for slaughtering and freezing, if these charges are not already included in the 3d a pound allowed above for shipment &c. Even that further allowance leaves a difference to the grower which would be highly remunerative.

NEW PRESERVING PROCESS. A cheap and simple process of preserving meat fresh has been invented by Professor Barff, of the London University. It is a cheap chemical solution in which a carcass can be dipped, and the meat remains fresh and in pure condition for weeks or months in ordinary temperature. The solution is tasteless, and does not taint the meat in any degree. Meat kept in this way for months has been tested and found to be like fresh killed meat in all respects. The solution arrests the process of decay, so that meat or any perishable commoditj' can be preserved in perfect condition. Professor Barff has demonstrated this in lectures to critical audiences, who have tasted meats cooked and fresh after being preserved several months by dipping in the new solution. If the facts be as reported, the freezing process is practically superseded.