MEAT FREEZING INDUSTRY.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20415, 9 December 1931, Page 4

MEAT FREEZING INDUSTRY.

THE YEAR'S STATISTICS. Figures relating to the ■ operations of the meat freezing industry for the year ending March 81st, 1931, are published. There are 40 establishments operating in the Dominion. The value of land, buildings, plant and machinery is set down at £4,637,236. The employees numbered 5732 males and 159 females, and the salaries, £1,604,939, and £18,446 respectively. The value of the products was set down at £12,970,384. . The value of the animals slaughtered was:—Purchased for freezing or pre" serving, £4,890,145; frozen on pwncr'n account, £5,229,856. The value of the animals purchased for freezing or preserving during 1930-31 was 11 per cent, below the value recorded in 1929-30, and the value of animals frozen on owner's account declined by 24 per cent, during the same period. Though the quantities of frozen mutton and frozen lamb produced during 193031 showed gains of 6 per cent, and 16 per cent, respectively, as compared with 1929-30, the values of these commodities recorded decreases Of 22 per cent, for frozen mutton and 5 per cent, for frozen lamb. The value per carcase of frozen mutton dropped from 19s 2d in 1929-30 to 14s 2d in 1930-31, while the value- per carcase of lamb receded from 20s 3d in 1929-80 to 16s 5d in 1930-31. Frozen beef declined by 1 per eent. in quantity and 7 per cent, in value; preserved meats by 9 per cent, in quantity and 37 per cent, in value, and lamb and mutton pieces by 23 per cent, .in quantity and 46 per cent; in value.*