NEXT SEASON’S MEAT

Southland Times, Issue 24890, 2 November 1942, Page 4

NEXT SEASON’S MEAT

ARRANGEMENTS FOR PURCHASE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 1. The arrangements for the purchase during the 1942-43 season of meat produced for export were announced by the Minister of Marketing, the Hon. J. G. Barclay. He said the Government recognized the necessity for stability in primary industries, and for that reason had agreed to place the resources of the country behind the meat industry in the national interests. Mr Barclay said that the Government had agreed to renew the guarantee to the producers to purchase the exportable surplus after three months in store in respect of their normal output of meat during the year. “The Marketing Department has established f.c.b. buying prices for all the main I classes of meat, the price level being I such that meat operators are able to offer farmers the same opening sched- | ule for live-stock as operated at the i beginning of last year,” said the Minister. “This has necessitated an increase in the Marketing Department’s price to compensate for lower pelt values, i The extent of these increases is ,175 d per lb for all grades of lamb and ,125 d per lb for all grades of wether mutton. The income of the meat pool will therefore be reduced proportionately.

OPENING SCHEDULES “Details of the agreed opening schedules will be issued in a few days, but the central feature of the arrangement is that the opening schedules will in the main be the same as for last season. The schedule for pork and bacon will remain stationary at last season’s levels. It is not yet possible to announce a firm price for bull beef and bobby veal, as the disposal of these classes of meat is still under discussion. The prices for boner cow beef will continue at their present levels, but will be suject to review towards the end of the present calendar year. The agreed opening schedules are based on the average values for sliped wool realized last season. Any addition to last season’s value of slipe wool will be reflected to the producer by proportionally increasing the buying schedule. “The Fat Stock Disposal Order 1941, which restricted the sale and slaughter of stock to the same purchaser or killing plant as employed by the farmer the previous season, will become operative in all transactions during the present. season. The movement in buying prices subsequent to the opening schedules will depend, as in the past, on skin values, and the movement of prices in any direction will be supervised by the Primary Industries Controller in consultation with representatives of- the Meat Board and the meat operators. APPEAL TO PRODUCERS “Producers will appreciate that the arrangements which I have outlined ensure stability in their farming economy during the forthcoming production year. Farmers may therefore carry on their normal production policy, while the meat companies are assured of their normal working margins and operators • may purchase from farmers with the knowledge that the purchase of their meat by the Government is assured.

“War conditions impose grave difficulties in the direction of transport and man-power,” said Mr Barclay. “Producers can assist in meeting these difficulties to some extent by ensuring a normal flow of stock to the killing works, and in particular all farmers should endeavour to send lambs forward at the earliest possible date to spread the peak load and thus conserve man-power.”