THE PEOPLE'S MEAT.

Auckland Star, Volume 55, Issue 43, 22 February 1924, Page 5

THE PEOPLE'S MEAT.

» ARGENTINE AND DOMINIONSAUSTRALASIA GOING BACK. FOOD FOR COLONIAL THOUGHT. iRy Cable—rrcjf Association.—CoprHslit.i (ficr-eived 10 a.m.l LOXDOX, February 21. TTodder* annual rc\ icw of t ho frozen moat trade say? that from an Kmpire point of view it j, riUrom-crtinp to tind that our Fupplio- of meat from tinBritish Dominion? arc shrinking while j foreign supplier an- riinidly im-reaMn™. Of a total of !i:'.::.Ciii!l tons of heef. lamb, arul mutton imported into Oreat Britain in 10-2:1. only 28 per cent was produced within tho" Kmpire. The percentage in I!'"2_ was :1">. In 1020 it va~ 43. Hitherto it ha- heon claimed that in tlir production of mutton and lamb t ; io Dominions wrrr supremo both in quantity and quality. Xow South America is seriour-iy challenging tlir supremacy, a? :>S ppr cent of our import? of mutton and lamb in 1023 came thence. £>o recently a? 1920 South America's percentage was only lf>. South America appears incapable of producing- mutton ami lamb ei|iial to New Zealand's high standard, but jrroat improvements are noticeable in recent | year*. The Argentine can now command a considerable premium over the price or Australian mutton. The only hope for the beef producers is in increased demand, production costs and intermediate charges now approaching bedrock. It connot bo g-ainsaid that beef in comparison with most other foods is too cheap, but while the supply exceeds the demand prices will remain unprofitable for the producer. Tn If*:?: , . iJreat Britain imported fUO.IWI tons of beef, or r>6 r>or cent above the average during 'he three years prec-prl- } [in:: tho (iroat War. whon tho Homo sup- | ply was preater than now. Even with trade revival it i- unlikely that any material increase of that quantity can bo absorbed by tho r.ritish market in the near future.—(A. and X.Z. Cable.l