BRITAIN’S MEAT SUPPLIES

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27073, 23 June 1953, Page 6

BRITAIN’S MEAT SUPPLIES

Easing Of Rationing Likely

SURPLUS STOCKS ACCUMULATE (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, June 22. The Ministry of Food must decide this week how to get rid of the large quantities of surplus meat already beginning to choke its supply lines, says the “Daily Mail’’ today. Three courses under consideration are: (1) to increase the ration to at least 2s 8d a week; (2) to deration meat completely for at least an experimental period of three months; and (3) to make a temporary or permanent off-the-ration sales of certain types of meat, such as pork, and inferior cuts of mutton and lamb. The last course is believed to be the one most likely to be adopted. The present meat ration is 2s 4d a week, and experience last week has shown that this is difficult to dispose of in full. Some butchers had so much left in their shops that they took a chance and sola the surplus off the ration.

Cautious ofiicials of the Ministry of Food say derationing should not be adopted until next spring, because another 500.000 tons a year is needed to assure supplies on the pre-war basis of consumption. “New Zealand meat producers and others engaged in the import trade say meat could be derationed now, because the public demand, taking the price factor into consideration, would be nothing like the same a head as before the war,’’ the “Daily Mirroir’’ says. “Choosey housewives are giving butchers headaches. They want more meat, but not more of the kind now offered to them over the counter. They are willing to buy the full ration if they can get good beef and lamb.’’

A leading London butcher said: “With the meat ration for a family of four now nearly 10s a week, customers will not accept whatever butchers happen to have.”