Mutton and Lamb.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 57, 11 March 1904, Page 4

Mutton and Lamb.

P'&iw ZEALAND'S EXPORTS TO ~ P LOXDOX. SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES. The figures given in a Bank of 1 ■ ]icw "Zealand circular from Loudon *4iuit to hand concerning the imports , g- if New Zealand mutton to England , t£>tre as follows : !£ 1903 2,400,000 carcases. ' 1902 ... ■'•■ 1,880,000 carcases. Arrivals from River Plate we're ul- . » 80 some 230,000 carcases in excess ' of those in 1902, so that it is not , * to be Wondered at that this excess , ; ot nearly three-quarters of a million . gheep has considerably upset the iav- i i ourable opinions held early in the -. season as to the prospects lor njOd. I * The high prices ruling at the close Of 1902 had curtailed the demand, and prices shrank at the beginning of 1903, and gradually went on the downward grade right to the end ot May, when Canterbury touched JJd, and Wellington 3Jd per lb. Buyers in London, however, were then hopeful that shipments would fall off, and this feeling kept prices higher than they otherwise would have .'- been. In September prospects for the rest of the year were considered favourable, but expectations were not realised. The arrivals proved heavier than was expected, and right up to November prices were disappointing. Towards the close of the year the outlook became brighter, and values stood at 4Jd per lb for Canterbury, and 3|d to 3jd for North Island. The quantity of Xew Zealand lamb exported also shows a great increase—37l,ooo carcases, the figures being : f 1903 2,108,000 carcases. 1902 1,787 000 carcases. Early in the year arrivals were light, and prices satisfactory, going as high as 7d in February. By May, however, the heavier supplies had brought quotations down to 4jd to 4Jd for Canterbury. In July an » improvement took place, but it did not last. At the end of August importers made an effort to arrest the fall in prices, and a temporary rise was effected, but heavy arrivals brought prices down by December to those quoted for May. At the time r ' the last mail left London (Jan. 27) stocks in cold store were believed to be moderate, and not likely to interfere much with the early shipment of new season's lamb from this colony.