ALL OR NONE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 49, 28 February 1927, Page 4

ALL OR NONE.

ARGENTINE BEEF TRADE,

THE MARKET GLUTTED.

Writing on December 16, the South American representative o£ the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board says:— "There is an extraordinary supply of fat cattle that apparently the freezing companies are unable to handle, and onlv the very choicest young steers are accepted for the chilled beef trade. The exceptionally favourable winter that produced an abundant supply four months earlier than is usual, and the fact that favourable grazing conditions have continued, has produced far more fat cattle than the trade can apparently absorb,, even at lower prices. It is not only a question of the prices obtained for fat cattle. The fact is that owners, even though they are large sellers, cannot get rid of their heavy steers at any price. The plants simply won't send their men to revise such animals, which, if sent to the local market, are sold at very low prices, though apparently that is the only way to get rid of such beasts at the present time. "This is a vast country, with great extremes. At one time there are no fat cattle, and prices soar high, just as there are other periods when the favourable conditions have given an over-abundant supply, and fat cattle are 'selling at unremunerative prices to their producers, while the owners of heavy cattle can hardly get rid of such animals at any price, as there is no outlet.