NEW ZEALAND MEAT.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 May 1921, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND MEAT.

AN UNPROMISING MAPtKET. MILLION CARCASES RETURNED’.' London, April 7. Mr. H. E. Fairweather. London representative of the Wellington Farmers’ Meat Company, has just returned from a trip to the United States, where he spent some time at Philadelphia, Washington, Chicago, and Boston. The primary object of his visit was to make inquiries regarding the pos'sibility of disposing of New Zealand freezing works’ produce on a satisfactory basis. Though lie had an interesting and enjoyable time during the brief intervals he could spare from business, he brought back no very good news of the United States as a future market for the Dominion producers.

It is obvious that the country is suffering fr.om the same trade sickness which is prevalent throughout the 'rest of the world. Air. Fairweather was struck with the sight of idle freight trains aim the large numbers of vessels laid up for want of cargoes. The high exchange rate of the dollar is evidently no great benefit to the country, for other nations cannot afford to buy from America, and the export trade is practically at a standstill. Prices are coming down, however, and naturally in the general decline the price of meat is getting back to a more normal level. It will be remembered that America bought over a million carcases of New Zealand lamb and mutton from the British Government. This was bought at a time when the home-grown article was scarce. A certain quantity of it was sold at very high prices, and incidentally charges of profiteering were brought against a number of prominent meat companies. The home supply quickly recovered, and prices went down, with the result that almost a million of those carcases from New Zealand found their way on to the London markets. W'hat is still in America, is being sold at a loss. American-grown mutton is sold on an average of Sd per lb. and the Now Zealand moat for which Sd per lb f.o.b. was paid, is being disposed of at 15 cents, or less than Bd. There is evidently quite enough locally-grown mutton to meet the full demand of the country, and at a price which makes it impossible for the frozen article to compete with it.