BEEF FOR EXPORT

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 992, 7 June 1930, Page 31

BEEF FOR EXPORT

PARLOUS STATE OF SOUTH AFRICAN TRADE

The parlous state of South Africa's beef export trade, and the urgent need for its development and stabilisation through the paying of a bounty by the Government on cattle or meat exported, were points emphasised in a recent issue of the “Cape Times” by Major G. R. Richards, a well-known South African. At present, he declared, there was a world shortage of beef, brought about chiefly by increasing consumption in the United States at a time when her local supplies are showing a marked falling off. America had reduced her beef cattle to a figure lower than at any time during the last 50 years, and had far from sufficient killable beef to meet her immediate demands. During the past two years America had therefore to draw upon outside supplies, and had already exhausted ail the surplus cattle in Canada and New Zealand, and was now looking to Australia for her requirements. “The effect of this on the English supplies has been most marked,” said Major Richards. “England’s only outside source of supisly today is the Argentine, and she has had to fall back on her own local supplies, with most disastrous results. “Eingland has reduced her own cattle by over 300,000 in a little more than two years, and is still killing faster than she can breed. In consequence, the price of beef in England has, during the last two years, risen by 19i per cent.” Dealing with the exporting of selected animals on the hoof, Major Richards said:

“The shipping companies say that they cannot export these animals without loss if they are paid less than £lO a head. But.” he added, “the price realised at the other end and the cost of feeding these selected animals will not stand the payment of £lO a head in freight alone. “The Government is unwilling to come todhe assistance of the industry and provide a portion of the cost of transport.

“If it did. the industry would j establish itself on a firm footing j within two years, and the country ! could look forward to a period of prosperity in the cattle breeding industry which would go far to compensate the stock farmers for their losses due to the fall in the I price of wool.” Major Richards quoted figures to j show that the combined income of South African farmers in 1930 had fallen by nearly £20,000,000, which, he said, would soon make itself felt in the trade between town and country.

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