FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 December 1921, Page 8

FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

FURTHER FALL IN PRICES. OPENING OF FREEZING SEASON. Palmerston North, Dec. 5. The latest London advices received locally indicate a drop of one-eighth of a penny to a farthing per lb in the prices realised by New Zealand meat. Meanwhile, throughout the country freezing companies are commencing the new season’s operations. The Feilding works started killing to-day, but the company is not buying any stock at. all for rhe present. It is simply killing and freezing on farmers’ own account. The Taihape and Patea works — for that matter practically the whole of the farmers’ co-operative companies—are also not buying outright. Stock prices generally are so low that the buying companies are not in a position to offer farmers any tempting figures. Consequently the majority of the producers apparently prefer to take a risk on the open market and freeze on their own account. As the representative of one meat export house put it to-day, the farmers do not think they can do anything worse, and the possibilities are that there may be an improvement when the season is advanced. The Longburn works will commence operations on Wednesday and the company is undertaking both buying and freezing on farmers’ own account. SMITHFIELD QUOTATIONS. That the market is still falling at Home is shown by a cablegram received to-day by Messrs. M. A. Elliott, Ltd., from Messrs Gilbert Anderson and Co., Ltd., London, giving the following Smithfield prices for the week ending December 3: Canterbury lambs, under 361 b, 7£d per lb; 361 b to 421 b, 7d; 421 b to 501 b, 6|d. Best North Island lambs, under 361 b, 7jd; 361 b to 421 b, no quote; 421 b to 501 b no quote. Ordinary North Island lambs, under 3Glb, 7d; 361 b to 421 b, no quote; 421 b to 501 b, no quote. Canterbury wethers and maiden ewes, 481 b to 561 b, sld; 561 b to 641 b, no quote; 641 b to 721 b, 43d. Best North Island wethers and maiden ewes, 481 b to 561 b, no quote; 561 b to 641 b, 5 l-8d; 641 b to 721 b, no quote. Ordinary North Island wethers and maiden ewes, 481 b to 561 b, no quote; 561 b to 641 b, sd; 641 b to 721 b, no quote. North Island ewes, 481 b to 641 b, 41d. New Zealand prime beef (equal fores and hinds), 1601 b to 2201 b, 4ld per lb. The above prices are on a delivered basis.