PRIMARY INDUSTRY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 July 1940, Page 2

PRIMARY INDUSTRY

MEAT BOARD’S ANNUAL ’ REPORT BRITISH GOVERNMENT’S PURCHASE. EFFECT OF WAR CONDITIONS. I j “Immediately upon the outbreak of ' war the beard placed its whole organii sation, both here and in London, at the I disposal of the Government, and the I board, pledged itself to help the GovI eminent in every way possible in its j war efforts,” states the annual report I of the New Zealand Meat Producers' I Beard. "From the first week of war I the- board was closely associated with the negotiations between the New ZeaI land Government and the United Kingdom Government for the purchase and sale of New Zealand meat. The board was consulted throughout the negotiations, and was fully represented on committees relating to prices and procedure .... “The 1938 prices (which were slightly better than 1939 realisations) were suggested by the United Kingdom Government, and after acceptance by the New Zealand Government in principle, became the basis of subsequent discussions and final agreement. On the question- of precise point of purchase, it was suggested by the Imperial Government, and accepted by the New Zealand Government that purchase in the main should be on f.o.b. terms. The prices at f.o.b. were arrived at by taking London prices and deducting the latest peace-time costs between f.o.b. New Zealand and deliverey ‘ex store,’ London. In other words, the United Kingdom Government at once accepted responsibilities for war-time increases in costs of freight and landing charges. CHILLED BEEF. “Although .the shipment of beef in chilled form was discontinued upon the outbreak of war, it was arranged in rhe purchase conditions that meat normally shipped as chilled should be paid for at chilled rates even though it were now sent frozen. It will be noted that the prices secured for ewe mutton will ensure better returns for the hillcountry farmer. After a series of conferences between the Ministers of Marketing and Agriculture, members of the meat board, and the meat trade representatives, the marketing procedure to be operative during the period of Government purchase, was embodied in a letter addressed by the Hon W. Nash, Minister of Marketing, to the chairman of the meat board. In this letter, the Minister said that, as the Government had treated the board as its immediate negotiator in all matters connected with the United Kingdom purchase of frozen meat, he left it to the board to communicate the Government's decision to the meat freezing companies. .... “THE OPEN DOOR.” “The Board was most insistent that the procedure should provide for the continuance of the ‘open door so that if a farmer is not satisfied with the prices offered, he can sell direct to the Government, subject, of course, to reasonable minimum quantities. It is of vital importance that the producer should retain this right. The board is at present engaged with the Government in considering the scope and procedure of an audit of the freezing companies’ operations, both as regards freezing services and buying operations .... In connection with the prices being paid by exporters and freezing companies for the various classes of fat stock from time to time, tlfe interests of the producers arc being closely watched by the board, which regularly examines costings taken out in respect to lamb, wethers, ewes, beef and pork.

WEIGHT OF WOOL. : “The weight of wool is arrived at by • means of returns collected every week < by the Primary Industries Controller from every freezing company, showing ; the weekly pull of wool from lambs and sheep in respect of each company and its separate exporter clients.. The latest advices relating to the pelt and hide market are taken into account. Costings are then worked out by the board, based on the respective weights, grades, etc, and allowing for the varying charges for slaughtering, bagging, freezing, etc, to f.o.b. in the differ ent districts’ This enables the margin left to the operator or freezing company to be ascertained after payment for the meat by the Marketing Department, on the basis of the prices agreed upon with the British Government. In the disposal of the various bye-products of the industry, the board has also had many discussions with the Government with a view to seeing that everything possible was being done under war conditions to protect the interests of producers. GRADING AND QUALITY. “The supervision of the grading of the different classes of meat at the various freezing works has always been one of the most important functions of the board. When the arrangements were completed for our meat to be purchased by the New Zealand Government, on behalf of the United Kingdom Government, this work increased in importance. The General condition of purchase in respect of grading laid down by the contract with the British Ministry of Food stipulated that the meat was to be of the usual descriptions and grade as at present shipped from New Zealand. This, however, had to be qualified as regards the North Island to the extent that the Down Cross lambs (for which a special price was to be paid) would be graded separately from the ordinary Crossbred type of lambs at all works. PRIME DOWN CROSS GRADE. "An undertaking was given to the British Government that all carcases graded Down Cross would be of Down type. This should be kept in mind byfarmers when considering the grading returns they receive from the works, as only lambs which show characteristics of the Down can be included in this Down Cross grade. It will thus be appreciated that the supervision of the grading of lamb was of added importance, especially when it is realised that prior to the war at some of the works, the Down quality lambs were not separated from others of prime quality. It. therefore, became necessary for the board to organise the supervision of grading at the commencement of this season to ensure that all works ( in the North Island should grade the I Down Cross lambs separately ion a|

uniform standard) from the ordinary crossbred lambs, in conformity with the terms of the British Government purchase. It will be readily realised that at the initial stages, this presented a certain amount of difficulty, but all arrangements were speedily put on a satisfactory footing. PRIME CANTERBURY GRADE. “A special price was fixed for prime Canterbury lamb, and it may be pointed out that it would not be to the advantage of farmers in the South Island if the Down Cross lambs were specially picked out, as the remaining lambs would have to take a lower price than the price fixed for prime Canterbury. Therefore prices and grading as arranged for the South Island are to the advantage of the farmer. In support of this, it may be pointed out that there is a difference between the prime Down Cross lambs and prime Canterbury of only l/16d per lb, whereas the price of crossbred lambs in the North Island shows a difference of 3/16d when compared with the prime Down Cross price.” TELESCOPING OF CARCASES. “An additional matter which has engaged their attention has been the telescoping of mutton and lamb. In order to conserve space in the freezing stores and in the overseas vessels, the British Government requested that all carcases of mutton and lamb should be telescoped, as was done during the last war. To ensure that all freezing works were cutting and bagging the carcases to a uniform-standard, the board arranged, as the result of a discussion with the Primary Industries Controller, for one of its officers to specially visit the various works in the Dominion to examine the way in which the cutting of carcases was being carried cut. This supervisor carried out demonstrations with those concerned, which should ensure that a uniform pack is adopted at the various freezing works throughout the Dominion. QUALITY ADVANTAGE. “The board would emphasise that the , reputation of New Zealand meat on the British market, and the premium it enjoys. has been created and maintained on quality. This must be retained at all costs, so that when the present crisis is over, we will be in a position to at : once resume the wide distribution of cur meat throughout the United Kingdom. again taking advantage of the ‘ goodwill which has been built up over ‘ a period of many years, based essen- ' tially on quality, and enhanced by the 1 Board's extensive publicity campaigns in the United Kingdom. Quality can only bo achieved by sound principles of ' breeding, feeding and management. ’| Only by producing the best, can we ' fully exploit Ihe natural resources of our wonderful country.”