MEAT POSITION SOUND

Southland Times, Issue 24834, 28 August 1942, Page 4

MEAT POSITION SOUND

More Exported Than Expected (P.A.) WELLINTON, August .27. “I can congratulate the meat industry on the strong position it is in today compared with 18 months ago,” said the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. J. G. Barclay, in addressing the Electoral Committee of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board today. “Unless something unforseen happens in the next month or two we will be practically clear of export produce when the new season’s meat comes on the market,” he said. “Though cables from the British Government suggest that we cannot expect the run in the coming season that we have had this year, we will be all right for storage. We have space for. practically a full year’s production in our cool stores.” It was possible now, the Minister said, to make a fairly close estimate of the export killings and shipments for the meat year which would end on September 30. Killings for export were estimated at 268,439 tons and killings for canning totalled 61,891 tons. The total kill, therefore, was 330,330 tons compared with 330,000 estimated at the beginning of the year. The stock position showed an estimated carry-over of meat for export of 44,812 tons at September 30, 1942. “This must be considered a very healthy position,” said the Minister. “In fact, having regard to future liftings and requirements, our stocks are rather bare and some difficulty may be experienced in the supply of meat cargoes during the next two or three months. Australia, because of drought and increased local consumption, has not been in a position to export meat, and this has been an unexpected benefit to our industry and put it in a very happy position.” DISPOSAL OF CARRY-OVER

It was hoped by the end of September to get away 300,000 tons to the United Kingdom and 1529 tons to other destinations —an amount never dreamed of at this time last year. The estimated carry-over of 44,812 tons was only a little more than half what it was last year. It was estimated that 21,500 tons of the carry-over would be required for the forces in New Zealand and the Pacific area, leaving only 23,313 tons available for the United Kingdom before the new season’s meat came on the market. The Minister announced that it was estimated that the meat pool formed last year would show a surplus of £439,952, not including 11,000 tons of ewe mutton which it was hoped to get away and which would swell the'surplus further. It had been suggested that during the past year the Meat Board had not been so closely associated with the department as it should be, the Minister said. If that were so it was because both the Marketing Department and the Department of Agriculture were under-staffed to meet the position. In the coming year it had been decided to appoint a committee for consultation on policy matters. The personnel would be the general manager of the Meat Board, Mr J. Fraser, the Primary Industries Controller, Mr A. H. Cockayne, and the Director of Export Marketing, Mr G. A. Duncan. If they were not available their deputies could act.