STORE BEEF

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 September 1938, Page 3

STORE BEEF

PRICES AT WESTFIELD HIGHEST FOR TWENTY YEARS (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, September 26. No dearer prices for store beef than those being paid at present can be remembered by Auckland butchers for 20 years. There is also a prospect that prices will be even dearer when more feed becomes available. Retail prices for most beef lines were raised last month, but since then values on the fat stock market have again increased, and butchers today said they were losing heavily on their beef sales. Unfavourable seasonal conditions and increasing exports • are stated to be mainly responsible for the very noticeable shortage of store beef for local consumption. Compared with the figures for August, 1937, chilled beef exports rose last month by 12,158 carcases and frozen beef by 6822 carcases. At last week's Westfield stock sale price a 1001 b for extra choice ox was up to 445. Buyers who have had many years of experience say that they cannot remember having seen such prices before. Other buyers said beef had not brought such high prices since the end of the Great War. The increase in beef prices at Westfield in the past two months has been almost 25 per cent. The lowest price this year, when consistently high prices have ruled, has been 37s a 1001 b, as against 30 last year. A marked upward trend has been noticeable since August 10, and the present price of 44s compares with one of 41s, which ruled from August to November 10 of last year. Prices for calves and pigs have also been exceptionally high, but reasonably low prices are Still prevailing for fat sheep, of which there is good supply. A year ago prime wethers would have brought up to 50s a head, but now they are bringing about 355. Ewes have similarly declined from 40s to up to 255.