SHARP RISE IN WETHER PRICES

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25517, 10 June 1948, Page 3

SHARP RISE IN WETHER PRICES

STRONG market at ADDINGTON VALUES highest for MANY YEARS Kot since the boom years after the i.j world war have prices for fat tiSiers reached the level they did at I” Addington market yesterday. It ■•doubtful whether, at this period of year, prices have ever been so SEs Normally prices rise when the ■"Ling works close and stock speciInv fattened for butchers comes for[Sd and the peak is reached at the of September or early in October. J’in the winter and spring of 1945, l«,tciiers’ limits stretched considerably at several sales more than 80s paid for fat wethers. On one ocSon at the Grand National show, Sd early in September that year, 86s id was paid for two show wethers, during the season the next highest i-ce was 83s -Id. Yesterday the top £ ;ce of 86s Id was secured by two Kndors. and several other vendors had Lies at better than 80s. “one vendor had an average of 82s ed for 48 prime fat wethers, and mother 82s 3d for 39. One farmer, who sold a line of 58 last week at ,» average of 71s 2d, secured for a I fee of 60, an average of 78s 8d yesterday These sheep were hardly as ffe ll finished as those offered a week "”°f short yardings, such as that of 1130 yesterday, continue to come for™rd it is possible that fat wethers may sell at even higher prices before peak of the season has passed. buyers were in attendance at the sale yesterday; but if they attended hoping to buy. they were optimistic, for prices for all classes of sheep were well above the export schedule all day The demand for fat ewes was as itrong as that for wethers, although prices did not rise to the same extent The best price for a prime aged ewe was 57s Id, a price that six weeks Bgo would have bought the choicest wether. Sales at more than 50s were frequent. Extra prime maiden ewes iold to 68s Id. Part of a line of 28 jhcm station wethers sold at 57s Id, and twice tussock wethers sold at core than 50s. In recent weeks a freezing company which buys for the local retail market has been bidding freely for best mutton, although in the past it has bought chiefly for butchers who sold ewe and light wether mutton. In addition there have been two other main buyers, the butchers’ committee and snothPr buyer who operates for a few country butchers and several suburban butchers, and who was absent from the market for several weeks. With all three bidding freely, prices have been forced to the present level.