Our Frozen Meat Trade.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVI, Issue 43089, 7 May 1907, Page 3

Our Frozen Meat Trade.

A SUCCESSFUL SEASON.

In common with other departments of the agricultural and pastoral industries in the North, the frozen meat trade for the season just ending has been most satisfactory. A “Farmers’ W ekly ” representative was recently supplied with the following interesting particulars by the secretary of the Auckland Farmers’ Freezing Company. The figures show the number of carcases killed and exported during the season, extending from October to April. Lambs '45,000 Mutton 3,000 Cattle .. .. .. 5,500 A review of the year’s work indicates most satisfactory progress. The increase in the number of lambs on the corresponding period last year is about 5,000. There is no question that the season’s output received a very considerable set back, owing to the inability of the Railway Department to provide accommodation for trucking the stock to Auckland from the outlying districts. Suffice to say, that had no trouble been experienced in bringing down the stock from the Waikato and elsewhere, the volume of business done would have been considerably greater than the present figures indicate. Another feature of this season’s worn has been the killing of a large quantity of beef. It has been practically a new departure for the company, and the freight war which raged fiercely at the beginning of the season was largely instrumental in causing the company to give its serious attention to this line in the foreign meat trade.

Of the 5j thousand head of cattle put through, 4,600 were prime bsef, while the remainder were “boners.” A )i.Te figuring out provides interesting m ,;i ir for reflection Averaging each beast at TOOlbs, that means the company puts though something like 3,850 OOOlbs of beef which is more than 100,000 lambs represent.

The rise in the price of beef, and reluction in freights, ruling towards the 'tter end of last year, owing to the freight war between the Federal and ocal lines of Home steamers, enabled he company to ship beef. The freightage in November went down to jd per >). In December it went up to 5 I6ths f a Id, while at present the cost per lb is 9-16ths. The difference between a irthing and 9-16ths of a penny doesn’t >ok very much, but it means a difference t' just £1 in the cost of shipping Home a ullock weighing 8001bs. From June ill November, however, the shipping -mipanies have agreed to reduce the reightage to -Jd per lb, so that the pro ue.cts of the winter season look fairly satisfactory.

The increase in the amount of frozen autton dealt with is also considerable mly 650 carcases being put through last ear. At a glance, therefore, it is pos •ible to see the increase in the volume of business done by the Farmers’ Freezing Company in making fheir Home shipments to the West of England, London and Scotland.