THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 118, 29 April 1884, Page 2

THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

In an article entitled “ With the Butchers at Smithfield,” the Pall Mall Gazette gives the following interesting details in reference to the frozent meat trade:— And now a word as to the carcases them, selves. Many various sorts hung around. Aberdeen sheep and Edinburgh sheep are there, easily distinguishable from one another and from English varieties, Irish sheep conspicious by their absence. Not 500 carcasses of sheep from Ireland are sold in a year. The Scotch on the contrary come in large numbers, brought up by dead meat trains, twenty in a hamper or basket. What, however, really attracted me most in the market was the importation of frozen meat, of which Mr. Stimpson is the largest salesman, and the sale of which is important, not so much from its present amount as from its future possibilities. It appears that the meat consumption of London is about 6,500 tons a week. This would include beef as well as mutton. Suppose, however, for the sake of comparison, that the whole were mutton, those 6,500 tons would represent about 200,000 carcases of shedp. The whole import of frozen meat last year was about 200,000 carcases. The import, therefore, of frozen meat last year was about equal to one week’s consumption for London. This year it is estimated that the frozen meat import will be more than doubled : so that Australasia will feed London for at least a fortnight of 1884. The amount imported, however, is not a fair measure of the importance of the trade. It acts upon the price and it raises the quality of the meat sold. “ The trade,” says Mr. Stimpson, “is in its infancy. It is less than two years since it began to swing.” The losses at first were heavy.

The Melbourne Frozen Meat Company which first began it loss more than £20,000 before they made a halfpenny. On late cargoes there has been a fair percentage of profit. There are, however, some 76,000,000 of sheep in the Australian colonies, and in all probability the trade will be enormous before long. “Tell me,” said I to Mr. Stimpson, “ something as to the quality of this frozen meat. You sell it at about s§d per lb. wholesale, or 9d. or lOd. for the best pieces. If it is as good as Scotch why should Scotch sell at 7d. ?” “ Well,” said Mr. Stimpson, thoughtfully, “ there has been a good deal of prejudice against frozen meat. It is wearing away fast and the prices are approximating. Still it must be owned that a carcase is none the better, it is indeed somewhat the worse, for being frozen. On the other hand, the raw material in Australia, more especially in New Zealand, is much better than here. In Australasia disease is unknown, whereas here there are few flocks of sheep in which there would not be 10 per cent, more or less unsound. Now, I have sold 200,000 New Zealand sheep and never seen a particle of disease in one of them. Australian meat is safer than second class British. For the present it chiefly goes to the East end of London and the ready-money shops. The West-end butchers as a rule won’t have it.” “ Tell me, then,” I said, “ something about the much-abused butchers. Are they all realising colossal fortunes, as their customers suppose ?” “Itis a trade,” said Mr. Btimpson, “ in which very few fortunes are made. It is both risky and laborious.” He has since sent some figures, for the accuracy of which he vouches. The greater proportional proLt to the butcher in the case of the Scotch sheep per lb. and his larger per centage on the capital invested in the case of the Australian sheep, are matters which require deep consideration. As such I commend them to your readers. An important factor in the matter lies in this, that the Scotch carcase goes to the West-end butchers, the Australian to the ready-money shops at the East-end. As Mr. Stimpson says, however, “ prices are approximating.” It may be noted that the weight of the best parts in the Scotch sheep are greater than in the Australian. Table of the profit of a butcher on the retailing of the carcases of two sheep, one Scotch, the other Australian :—

£1 19 3 The butcher’s profit is 4s. 9d., equal to sd. per lb., or 13.1 per cent. If the above figures are correct, and they are vouched for, who will say that the butcher’s profit is excessive ?

Cost. 1 Scotch sheep (721b. in weight), Ost. at Os. per st Pboceeds. £2 14 0 2 legs, 20£lb. at la. £1 0 6 2 loins, 1441b. at lid 0 13 3 2 shoulders, 151b. at lOd. ,. .. 0 12 6 2 necks, 151b. at 9|d. 0 11 10 Waste fat, 21b. at 3d Loss in weight through cutting up 11b. 0 0 6 £3 0 8 The butcher’s profit is 6s. 3d., equal to Id. per lb., or 114 per cent. Cost. Melbourne or New Zealand sheep, (721b. in weight), 9st. at 3s. lOd. per st £1 14 6 Proceeds. 2 legs, 181b. at 9d £0 13 6 2 loins, 141b. at 7d 0 8 2 2 shoulders, 141b. at 64d. .. 0 7 7 2 necks, 131b. at 6<1.. .. .. 0 6 6 2 breasts, 61b, at 41. 0 2 0 Waste fat, 61b. at 3d. Loss in weight through cutting up, 0 1 6 up, lib,