EXPORT OF MEAT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 54, Issue 97, 3 February 1934, Page 8

EXPORT OF MEAT

NEW ZEALAND METHODS. VISITOR. TO INVESTIGATE. (Special to the "Guardian.") AUCKLAND, January 30. A study of .the New Zealand meat export, trade will he made hy Mr JMerrett, metropolitan meat industry commissioner for Neiv South Wales, who arrived from Sydney by the Wanganella. He will spend three weeks in the Dominion and will tour both islands. This afternoon he visited'meat works in the vicinity of Auckland and will further inspect these works to-morrow. "I hope, to learn something of the organisation, and operation of the Meat' Producers' Board and also of the more modern of your freezing works," said Mr Merrett! "New- Zealand is essentially a meat-producing country as far as sheep ami lambs are concerned, whereas in New South Wales wool is the primary consideration. The rise in wool prices has caused a marked increase in tho tendency of growers generally to concentrate, on avool production. This tendency is shown by the figures for .sheep production. "We haye over 110,000,000 sheep in ■ Australia, yet our export quota to the United Kingdom, last year under the Ottawa Agreement was slightly less than 4,500,000 carcases. On the other hand, with about 30,000,000 sheep, we had an export figure of about 9,000,000 carcases. Not only does this show the trend of wool-growing in Australia, but it illustrates also that there is still an enormous field in the Commonwealth for the "development of fat lamb. .The export trade for many years, has concentrated on producing a type of lamb eminently suitable for the overseas market, and we in Aus.tralia' are naturally very anxious to [ expand our operations. "Any information I can glean in tho Dominion we hope to be able to put to use in developing our industry in New South Wales. The export of meat from New, Zealand is under the direction of the Meat Producers' Board, and there have been suggestions from time to time that a somewhat similar body should be constituted in Australia. While lam here I propose to study at first hand the operations of the New! Zealand board. The export of meat from Australia at present is entirely in the hands of private interests subject to distribution among them of their 1 shares of the quota under the Ottawa Agreement. This is done under Government direction. "The development of the chilled beef trade both from Australia and New Zealand is coming into prominence,

and a number of experimental ship-

ments have been made from both countries. The results of the tests made in Australia indicate that particularly from the northern districts the chilled beef trade with the United Kingdom can be, satisfactorily developed by having, beef carried under carbon dioxide conditions. This will require a continuity of shipping facilities, fairly rapid voyage, and regularity-\of shipj ments. "These matters haye been discussed .very fully at representative conferences in Australia recently, and it will be interesting to compare the results of the developmental work in Australia with that in progress in NewZealand. It has been proposed to the British Ministry of Agriculture that meat from Australia and New Zealand shall be marked to indicate the country of origin). It is claimed in Australia that the method of marking proposed will not only have a detrimental effect upon the'appearance of the meat, thus lowering its sale value in the English market, but that it will also have a tendency to slow up the output at the works, to say nothing of whatever additional cost may be entailed in complying with the proposed regulations. '"The proposals are being most strenuously opposed by meat interests in. Australia, and no doubt similar opposition will be offered by the New Zealand.meat trade. There has been marked improvement in meat prices in the past few months. This is due to tho operation of the Ottawa Agreement restricting exports from Argentine. Ho would, however, be a bold man who would predict tho future of prices."