SUBSIDISED BEEF

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21647, 4 December 1935, Page 8

SUBSIDISED BEEF

FAILURE OP ENGLISH SCHEME

TJn<!er the beef subsidy scheme operating in Great Britain, cattle which dressed 54 per cent, of live to dead weight earned for the "fatteners" 5s per cwt subsidy on *the live weight. This means that a beast dressing 7501b would earn more than £3 a head subsidy. It was believed when the subsidy was instituted that it would tend to lighten the overloaded fat stock market and maintain a better balance of store cattle supplies, and also en-, courage the production of better beef. However, this has not proved the case. Many producers are just feeding to the percentage margin of 54 per cent., and quitting these half-fat cattle and lifting the £3 a head subsidy, or whatever the subsidy works out at. The effect of so much poor beef going on the market, it is claimed, will be that the consumption of the local product will be reduced and there will be little of the reduction in foreign importations that it was hoped the scheme would bring about. Butchers are now urging that the subsidy be paid on a quality basis, as otherwise the retail demand will switch over to the imported beef.

The profit of the Eoyal Show, held at Hastings on October 23 and 24, was £547 17s, compared with £4BB at the Boyal held in that centre in 1930.