Freezing Companies Working to Capacity

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 234, 22 December 1927, Page 15

Freezing Companies Working to Capacity

BRISK TRADE IN LAMBS EXPORT BUYERS ACTIVE In lorries, special trains, and, to a limited extent, along the roads, fat stock destined for the Home market is moving Aucklandwards. The freezing season is at its height, and everything indicates that it will be a record one for the district. Full time is reported at all the works in the district and heavy bookings are recorded. With a spell of dry weather upon them farmers are quitting cuts of lambs as soon as they are ready for the drafter. At the Auckland Farmers’ Southdown Works over 2,500 lambs daily are passing over the killing floors and at the firm’s Northern works the daily tally is reported to exceed 1,500. Fletcher's works j at Westfield are also running to capacity. Big sheep are not receiving much atten- ( tion at the moment with buyers only operating sparingly at not very enticing prices. HEAVY KILLING OF PIGS The pork export trade is to receive a big boost this season, irrespective of the fact that prices do not come up to the expectations of farmers. With increased production reported from every hand purchasers have been forced to look overseas for an outlet, with the result that the works have been called upon to handle a considerably greater output. I-loritiu works in the Waikato have been specially fitted out for the business and, between it and Southdown, the Auckland Farmers’ other works, over 600 hogs are dressed daily. In addition to this, private operators in the pork and bacon trade have been buying extensively at values on a par with the export parity, and killings at private abbatoirs must be heavy.

For over a month beef buyers have also been active all over the North Island, but especially in the Waikato, and here again for so early in the season, killing tallies to date must come well up to record figures.