THE MEAT TRADE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 285, 27 July 1932, Page 5

THE MEAT TRADE

(Press. Assn.—

important problem

; AUSTRALIA'S PROSPECTS IN REACHING BRITISH ■ MARKET new garbon process

-By, Telegraph — Copyright).

Rec. July 26, 5.5 p.m. OTTAWA, Monday. The development of South Africa in declaring herself as a potential exporter of chilled beef, has aroused very considerable interest, particularly in regard to the meat problem, which daily takes more Importance. It. is one matter in which Australia is particularly anxious that she should reCeive assista'nce, while it is recognised' that Great Britain is importing eight per qqnt. of the world's beef. Mr. S. M. Bruce intimated that Australia .coiild enter the chilled beef market on a big scale before South Africa was ready. Meat experts, although they declare they have effective chilling processes available, do not express enthusiasm about the prospects of Australia ranging herself a.t an early date as a difect eompetitor with the Argentine. •One of the difficulties is that the Argentine distribution is carried out through a •chain of shops throughout Great Britain, and the heef reaehes the consumer with the minimum of delay after being discharged from the ships. • Australia, however, could malce identical arrangements. Experts are aware that Dr. Moran and his colleagues, experimenting on low temperature research at Cambridge recently, doubled the. life of pieces of beef, by adding to the air 20 per cent. of earbon dioxide gas. The process is already known in Australia as "gas control of air." The control process is claimed to ensure that beef loaded at Queensland ports and landed in Great Britain, even after ten weeks, is in perfect eondition with the texture undamaged and equal to fresh beef. This chilling, which involves a partial vacuum, requires that the cool chamber doors should not be opened, the gas acting as a mild antiseptic. It is believed that 10 per cent. of carbon dioxide would be sufficient to carry the carcases from Australia to London. Tho chilled carcases would hang, allowing the air on all sides, unlike the frozen meat, which is packed. This would involve the re-conditioning of steamers, as greater space would be needed, which means heavier freight charges. Australia could not readily market the exports of chilled beef, nor are the experts confident the trade will reach importance for years. Therefore, the case at Ottawa will be fought over the question of frozen meat versus chilled meat. Moreover, for Queensland, it is only a seasonal industry, as Queensland canonly fatten six months of the year, whereas the Argentine can send any quantity at any time in accordance with the London market requirements. Australian shipments are rigidly according to the season.