FROZEN PRODUCE LETTER.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17544, 28 August 1922, Page 8

FROZEN PRODUCE LETTER.

CHILLED AND FROZEN BEEF QUESTIONS. DAIRY PEODTJCE MAEKET. &BOM 4JTTR SPECXtf. COBRESPOVDENTP.) LONDON, July 20. Smithfield, which generally reflects the avenge position of the frozen meat trade throughout the country, does not at this tinw furnish much evidence of brighter fortunes in store for this business. But if the extraordinarily large marketings of imported meat during the present season are borne in mind, the likely course of events in the near future may be hopefully regarded, as, with rather shorter world's supplier in view, the markets should show an upward tendency irrespective of the general trade outlook, always assuming, of course, that the latter does not become too bad. As a matter of fact, Mr H. W. G. Miltinan, the Superintendent or the London Central Markets, reports that the meat supplies at West Smithfield in the first six months of this year totalled 231,646 tons, or 30,000 tons more than in the corresponding period of last year. This constitutes a record. The great bulk of the beef and mutton was imported, South America leading with 81,431 tons of beef, and Australasia with 4y,995 tons of mutton and lamb. Of home-killed meat, beef formed 14.9 per cent., mutton 14.3 per cent., and pork 27.2 per cent, of the respective totals. Progress in Beef. As regards the beef trade, in which New Zealand cannot call herself uninterested,, although tJiat is the less important 'sido of her meat export business, the Australian Commonwealth Office in London has this week issued an official statement that the English market is at last clear of old Australian beef which, through no fault of Australia, has been on sale for a much longer period than was anticipated. It is also announced that Messrs Thomas Borthwick and Sons, Ltd., have contracted to supply the British Army with 20,000 prime frozen bullocks during the next half year, and this is probably the beginning of a new and improved regime of the united military services of Great Britain ordering Dominions' meat exclusively for the Forces. Tho chilled beef struggle continues, heavy supplier coming forward and resulting in New Zealand prime ox hinds making with difficulty only 4}d per lb at Smithfield and Australian hinds 4d. It is satis; factory to note, however, that in spitt of the overpowering competition of the chilled market, frozen beef rates remain firm at their present range and offers auoted for forwarding business reveal a more hopeful feeling in the trade. It may be of interest to reproduce here ; comparative statement of. Smithfielt beef prioes as at the present moment and in 1914, for the purpose of showing the exact relation of the two:— Increase or » 1914. 1922: decrease Inc. or Per atone per stone Deo. Sib. 81b. percent. i. d. a. 4. e. d. Home-killed Beef: Scotch Short Sides .. 411 10 8 6 4 '108.46 English Long Sides ..4 8} 7 6 8 2} *74.75 Birkenhead Sides ..4 1} 7 7 85} •83.83 Home-killed Mutton: Scotch Wethers 510 10 8 410 •82.85 English Wethers 6 0 9 6 4 6 '90.00 English Ewes 811 6 22 3 '57.44 Lamb, English 6 2 11 8 6 6 "89.19 Imported Beef: Argentine Chill- ■ "* . ed Hinds ..4242 Argentine Chill- \ ed Fores ..2 4} 3 3 02} 16.77 Australian Frozen Hinds ..8 0 311 0 1 12.77 Australian Frozen Crops ..2 8 HI 0 4 414.71 H.Z. Frozen Hinds ..3181 —n N.Z. Frozen Fores ..2 8} 111 0 4} U6.36 Imported Mutton: N.Z. Wethem 2 11 . 4 6 16 '51.42 If.Z. Ewes ..2 6 8 6 10 '40.00 Australian Wethers- ..36 8711 '48.83 Argentine Wethers .. 3 6} 8 7 1 0} '40.98 Imported Lamb: New Zealand ..4 3 7 8 8 6 *84.00 Australian ..3 9 610 8 1 '82.22 Argentine ..8 7 6 4 2 9 '76.74 New- Zealand beef producers will note the strong position held by the Home trade. Canadian Chilled Beuf. The movement organised in Western Canada for a chilled export business will, it is said, result in a first shipment being made from Alberta very shortly, and it is hoped that the trade will be a regular one. The chilled export has been reported upon as a more profitable one than the live cattle oxport, which'is interesting in view of the present movement for the removal of the embargo on Canadian live cattle importation in England. The cost of shipping chilled beef is calculated to be, 2.923 pence per lb, made up as follows : Railway freight from Edmonton or Calgary to Montreal .. .. ,956 d Icing .. HKd Killing, handling, and bagging 1 .. .BSld Insurance, harbour switching', and port dues, labour charges and sundries .. .. .. .Bl2d Ocean rate and refrigeration .. ,941 d Port rates at London, landing oharges and delivery ex-ship, weighing at ship's side or market, oartaga and market doles .. .. .. .23161 On the other hand, the cost of shipping live cattle is stated to be over twice as much, namely, 6.14 d, made up as follows: — Cleaning car, brand inspection, and freight to Montreal .. .. 1.24 d Feed and handling charges in Canada .76d Freight on shipboard, supplies on boat, feed, etc. .. ... .. 8.23 d Wharfage and handling charges, port dues, etc., feed on landing, insur- ' ance, and wages .. .. ,91d Butter and Cheese Position. The change to wet and cooler weather in the early part of July has meant a dull time in the provision markets generally during the past few weeks. Till the early days of July, prices in the butter market had soared week by week, and eventually New> Zealand touched 224-230s per cwt. But with the break in the dry spell values reacted sharply from the highest pointreached. Possibly the advance is overdone, as consumption was checked, and stocks not clearing as quickly as »had been anticipated, buyers became disquieted and rates eased. Importers, however, remain confident that a revival in demand may cause prices to advance, and the situation cannot be relieved until the arrival of "Colonial" in the autumn. Stocks here are light, but rather more butter is coming from New Zealand. Everything depends on how consumption will proceed at the high prices, which are attracting supplies from Prance, and large quantities from Canada and the U.S.A. Present rates from New Zealand are 2122165, "Western Australia 200-210s, panada 204-208s, France 216 to 2265, and Danish 213-215s per cwt. / The sensational advance in the cheese market has also been succeeded by a period of depression and lower prices. Retailers have been purchasing more sparingly owing tovthe decline in the consumptive demand" and prices have fallen away considerably from th" highest point, viz., white 102-106s an* coloured 100-102s per cwt. To-day's rates are 92-&Js for whit© and 88-99s for coloured. There is a fair enquiry, with top values a shade easier. A change to warmer weather would exercise _ a favourable influence on the . provision trade.