MARKETS FOR FROZEN MEAT.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13364, 4 March 1909, Page 6

MARKETS FOR FROZEN MEAT.

We are afraid Mr M. C. Orbell somewhat under-rat-es the possible effect of Australian and Argentine competition upon tho New Zealand meat trade.

■Speaking yesterday at tho annual meeting of the British-Xew Zealand 31cat Company, he expressed his conviction that despite all competition a remunerative market will always bi> found for any quantity of our meat. Jt is always pleasant to meet an optimist, and in this caso Mr Orbell wns able to give reasons for the faith that is in him that cannot be disregarded, oven if one cannot wholly agree with his conclusions. It was only a question of time, he declared, and that not a very long time, before the Continent of Europe, with its huge population, would be a consumer of frozen meat-. The holding of tho recent International Congress in Paris in connection with the refrigerating industries was ce-rteinly a hopoful sign of the Continent's growinginterest in a question that is of great importance to these colonies, and it is hardly possible that it will prove to have- been wholly ineffectual. In their revit-w of the year, Messrs Wecklel and' Co. admit that there i& a growing body or opinion amongst scientists, political economists and commercial men favourable to the introduction of cheap food into all Continental countries. "But," it is -r.c'd'cd, "the agrarinn interests in " most cases are still too strongly in "favour of high protective tariffs to : " admit of tho hop© that any inxmedd- " ate change of policy, can be. brought " about in France, Germany or Austria," even though high prices for meat continue to rule in those countries. Of late years there has been a small trade in frozen meat with Italy and Sweden, but last year this fell off considerably. On the other hand, Switzerland seems likely to afford a market for frozen meat. In time we believe, with Mr Orbell, that Continental prejudices will have to give way to the necessities of the people, and now and valuable markets will be opened for our meat. Tho process will probably bo no eaey one, but it will be expedited if those representatives of the producing countries who attended tihe Paris Congress mako the most of every opportunity that presents itself of bringing the matter under the notice of foreign Gorennments. Iα tho meantime our producers will do well to bear in mind tibat there is always a market for tho host quality, no matter how severe the competition of other countries may be in the matter of quantity. And the growing competition of Argentina is a fact that compels recognition.