Meat Export Prices

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20986, 13 December 1939, Page 16

Meat Export Prices

PURCHASE BY BRITAIN MINISTER EXPLAINS TERMS COMPLETION OF SCHEDULES • | (Special to Times) I • WELLINGTON, Wednesday 1 The purchase arrangements and ! • prices for all classes of meat loaded j; for the United Kingdom on overseas • vessels were announced to-day by !, the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. i 1 W Lee Martin, who stated that the j procedure which had been adopted i . was designed not only to meet the • wishes of the United Kingdom Gov- ' ernment, but also to facilitate the I smooth and expeditious handling of meat products at all stages. The Minister said that the instruc- | tions issued by the Export Division ! of the Marketing Department set out i clearly the method for grading, par- « celling, and shipping. Payment in ] full at f.o.b. prices (New Zealand ; currency) as set out in (he schedules would be made against shipping documents as soon as possible after completion of loading at each port. ] Bills of lading should be made out , in the name of the New Zealand ;

Government as shipper and consigner to the Ministry of Food, United Kingdom. Shippers were allowed to include all classes of meat (except baconers and baconer cuts) on the one bill of lading, but the Ministry of Food required a separate bill of lading for all baconers and baconer cuts. Minimum Parcels “ The minimum parcel for any class of meat must be in accordance with existing practice, namely, 250 carcases for mutton and lamb, but there is no objection to larger parcels being put up. In cases where meat has been killed for farmers on owners’ account, freezing companies must make at least minimum parcels, and the freezing companies or exporter will present the documents to the Department and receive payment according to the bill of lading. “ The grading standard in respect of these two classes of prime lamb will be the standard which has been in operation for the last two years at the Hawke’s Bay works. These standards will be established and supervised by the supervising graders of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board, who also will continue to superintend the grading of all other classes of meat. “ At the same time it is most important that the undertaking we have given shall be conscientiously carried out, and it is expected all works’ managements will themselves, in their own interests, see that their standards of dressing and general get-up of both carcases and of sundries shall be fully up to their regular standards in all respects.

“ Under the terms of the contract there is to be only one grade of ewes; the grade arranged for is to bo a straight run of what were formerly in many works classed as first and second. “ All meat shall, in respect of fire and all other loss or damage, be at the risk of the sellers until it is placed, f.o.b. ocean steamer, except that in cases where meat is forwarded from one ocean shipping port for shipment on board an ocean steamer at another port on through bill of lading, it shall be at the risk of the Ministry of Food from the point of departure from the initial port. Meat in Store “ The Food Ministry undertakes that in the event of meat having to be kept in store in New Zealand for an unduly long period, owing to the inability of the Ministry to provide ocean-going ships, it will make payment towards the consequential additional cost of storage in accordance with arrangements to be agreed with the New Zealand Government, in the light of actual experience up to January 31, 1940. “ There is a possibility that in the event of delay in shipment owing „o the inability of the Food Ministry to provide ocean-going ships, the Ministry will make payment on account m accordance with arrangements to be agreed with the New Zealand Government. It has been suggested that the payment on account may amount to 50 per cent, of the value of any meat which has had to remain in cold storage for more than two months by reason of the inability of the Ministry to adhere to the shipping programme. “The f.o.b. prices payable in New Zealand currency, as set out in the schedules, have been arrived at by converting the sterling f.o.b. prices agreed with the United Kingdom Government, at the current telegraphic transfer rate of £124 7s 6d, and deducting \ per cent to cover Marketing Department expenses, interest and Meat Board levy. The terms ol the purchase agreement

with the United Kingdom Government provid_e for payment of 90 per cent on shipping and 10 per cent within 28 days after arrival, or in case of the steamer being lost, on estimated due date of arrival. It is intended, however, that the Marketing Department will pay shippers the full 100 per cent upon shipment. The interest which will accrue on the remaining 10 per cent from time of shipment until settlement is re-% ceived, will be absorbed in the £ per cent deduction already referred to. “Freezing companies will dis-