FROZEN MEAT.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16654, 15 October 1919, Page 7

FROZEN MEAT.

THE RETAIL COST.

The high price to which live stock has risen at tho Addington .stock market recently has moved most of tho Christr church city and suburban butchers to take advantage of the regulations which permit them to obtain frozen meat from the freezing works at tho Inroerial prices. Tho prejudice which undoubtedly existed against the use of frozen meat as an article of diet amongst New Zealanders is fast breaking down, according to information given by local retailers to a ''Press'' representative, and Christehurch citizens are buying frozen meat freely, and find that there is very little, if any, noticeable difference Between fresh and chilled meat when properly cooked and Berved. ■.. Complaints are made, however, that butchers are charging more than they should for the frozen meat, and ono specific instance has been mentioned whloro, a customer was charged at the ratf> of lOd per lb for ft leg of frozen mutton. Ab first quality wether mutton can bo procured ex store at tho rate,of 5Jd per Ibj it ( seemed as though there was some justice in the' complaint, and enquiries were- therefore made from ropresontativo Butchers on tho matter. The result' seems to indicate that - ' the, price was slightly more than reasonable, unless there were special circumstances abont tho transaction.

The main prices scheduled for tho purchase of meat from the cold stores; ar© as follows: First quality wethers 6ld per 11», first quality: owes 4|d per lb, specially prime lamb 64d per Id, first quality prime lamb 6id pep lb, primo ox iTeof 5d per lb, and second quality beef 4Jd per lb. There ara also various other graded prices for second quality meat and extra heaVy carcases. The reporter was informed, however, that these prices do not represent by a good • deal- what it coßte to actually land tho meat in tho retailer's, establishment. Taking wether mutton, first quality, as the basis for argument, a Christchurch butcher said that he estimated that it cost him at least 6ljd per lb when in hif» shop. "It must "be mneipbcred," ho said, "that over and above the cost of Sgd' per lb for wether mutton from the stores there is a storage charge of 3-32nds off a penny per lb per month to be paid. Most of the meat which is taken out has been tin Btoro for b'ix months, and somo possibly for a longer period. As one month's storage is allowed free of charge, the butcher would have to pay for five months at any rate. Then the butcher has to pay an •abattoir fee of Is for every sheep and lamb, «ind "4s for every body of beef, the beef being charged,at the rate of Is a quarter; he has also to arrange for and pay for the carting of the meat from the works to his place of business, this item, of course, costing some mien considerably more than others. Over and above this it must be pointed out that we cannot, dispute the weights given at the works, and there is' undoubtedly a small loss in weight between the frozen and the fully thawed carcase. There are also the usual trade expenses to be added, such as delivery charges, bad debts, waste, etc. Some retailers who do not have a cool store in their place have an added handicap, for they find it difficult to deal with the frozen moat, which is apt to lose its fresh colour and becomo rather dark, and not too pleasant looking when kept at high temperatures. This may not affect its eating qualities, but it may alfect the readiness with which it can be sold. Then again you must remember that the fore quarter has to be sold at 7d per lb. and that it is very hard to get rid of sometimes, as everyone wants the primest cuts % It may be that a man - finds that his shop is almost full of fore-quarters, and sometimes he may put up the price of legs simply to induce his customers to decide on the cheaper cut. Otherwise ho may have to use up tho fores for Bmall goods, or possibly put a proportion of them in the fat bag, and we can't afford to do that. Personally. I should say that a fair retail price for first quality wethers from the works would bo die per lb for legs and loin, 7d for foreQuarters, _ and lOd per lb for best chops. These prices, I think, will be found tho usual onep which aro charged for frozen meat, being adjusted up ot down .for lamb and beef, and second quality stuff, though I do not think anything but first quality moat is taken from tho works. A man who handles fresh mutton -has a much smaller margin than this to work on, however. Take it that he gives 65s for a sheep, which kills out at 601b, he will got about 13s for tho skin —possibly less^—and, say, 2s for the fat. That leaves him 601b of mutton at a cost of sfo, or exactly lOd per lb. Such meat will he sold at Is a lb for the chcice cuts, but the forequarter will have to be sold at just about cost price, and, when the overhead charges have come out of it, the profit is negligible.''