FROZEN MEAT MARKET.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8535, 13 September 1907, Page 3

FROZEN MEAT MARKET.

(From Our London Correspondent.)

LONDON, August 2. Under date July 26th Messrs W. Weddel and Co., report as follows concerning frozen meat: —Trade has continued quiet in most departments of the meat market. Home-grown mutton is still scarce, and realises 8d to B£d for Scotch, and 7|d to 8d for English. Dutch mutton is now id per lb cheaper at 7d to 7£d per lb. Supplies of chilled beef are moderate, both from North America and the River Plate, and values are a shade higher than at the date of our last report. At Smithfield, States sides are realising s£d to s|d per lb and Canadian s£d to s£d per lb. At Deptford, States cattle now sell at £lB 10s to £2O, and Canadian £lB to £l9 10s. The position of the frozen meat markets is not over strong. New Zealand mutton is fairly firm; but Australian and River Plate prices are barely steady owing to slow demand. Lambs go fairly readily into eonsumption. Beef is firm in the case of hinds; but fores are weak. Mutton. —New Zealand —Notwithstanding the heavier arrivals, the values of New Zealand sheep have been weli maintained. In the case of North Island and secondary sheep the smaller weights have been in good demand at slightly increased rates, wh'le the heavier weights have been selling much more freely, with the result that higher prices have been obtained. Although the quantities received have been heavier, yet the proportion of really prime wether sheep offering has been very limited. Hence the improvement in quotations. Canterbury sheep under 641bs are realising 4|d to 4Jd per lb, for sheep under 501bs as much as 4|-d per 3b, while the heavier weights are selling at 4d to 4Jd per ib. Southland sheep are selling at 3£d to 4d per lb, and North Island sheep, W.M.E.'s and Longburns from 3|d to 4£d per lb. Ordinary North Island sheep are making from 3§d to 4d per lb. Ewes have sold at from 21d to 3|d per lb, according to weight. Australian— The demand has baen intermittent during the fortnight and importers have found it very difficult to make the increased prices they have been asking, .there has, however, been a slight increase in value notwithstanding the heavier arrivals, but at the close ths price obtained for mutton ex store is certainly higher than can be generally realised on the market. It might be supposed that the continued high .rates ruling for New Zealand mutton would have been beneficial to the Australian article but the counterbalance has undoubtedly been the low -value of River Plate sheep, for ■which buyers show a marked piefer•ence. Small sheep are valued at 3Jd to 3£d to an occasional 3gd per Ib, while heavier carcases realise 2Jd to 3d per lb. River Plate—Although the arrivals vare almost half those of the previous fortnight, the exceedingly slow demand has rendered it impossible to effect any substantial advance in price, and the remarks made in the previous paragraph with regard to the value o* Australian sheep, ex ■store, and ex market, apply equally to Plate sheep. At the same time there has been a continuation of the firmer tendency as to values, mentioned in our previous report and prices close quite Jd per lb higher. Small sheep are selling at 3Jd to 3§d per lb with an occasional 3£d per lb. wnile heavier weights realise 3d to ;3£d per lb. Lambs. —The general demand for frozen meat at Smithfield is still .quiet, but the lamb trade continues to engage the bulk of buyers* attention, and considerable quantities of Jambs-are going into consumption in spite of the cool weather. Owing to the large quantites of secondary .lambs which have been sent into the country during recent weeks, there is now a considerable shortage of that ■description, the few available being readily taken by Provincial buyers at prices" almost on a level with those obtainable in London for prime quality. As is usual at this time of the year, the demand runs mainly •on light weight carcases, which now command a premium in price over medium and heavy weights, the latter being a very slow sale. During the earlier part of the period under review, the market was very firm at a higher level of prices j than those given in our last report, j ■but with the arrival of the above mentioned heavy quantities from JSlew Zealand, a slightly easier tendency is to be noticed, without how-ever-'any perceptible drop in values, which to-day may be quoted as follows:—Prime Canterbury, 28-361bs, 5 5-16 dto s|d; 36-421bs, 5Jd to 5 5-16 d; 42-501b, B|d to 5Jd. Prime .North Island lambs, 28-421bs, 5Jd to s£d; 42-501b, at 5Jd per lb. Light weight secondary lambs are realising s£d. In consequence of the scarcity of secondary New Zealand lambs, the few Australians available are realising 5d to s|d per lb. Beef. — Frozen — Trade has been very low and dragging over the whole period, and the only demand has been for hind-quarters, which being firmly held, have realised higher prices.