EXPORT MEAT SALES

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27090, 13 July 1953, Page 8

EXPORT MEAT SALES

“SMITHFIELD NOT A MARKET AT ALL”

CRITICISM OF BULK BUYING (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, July 12. “Smithfield is not a market at all. but purely a dumping and sorting establishment for meat. This is the worst feature of bulk buying and controlled meat distribution in Great Britain,” says Mr A. B. Baker, chairman of the meat and wool section of Waikato Federated Farmers, and a member of the organisation’s Dominion council, in an air-mail letter from London to the provincial secretary (Mr J. R. Turnbull). Mr Baker says he has become more convinced than ever that the Ministry of Food should hand back the meat business to private enterprise. When bulk purchasing is ended, the British public will say, “Good meat or no meat,” and that should suit New Zealand, because the Dominion has maintained the high quality of its lamb exports. “At present New Zealand topquality lamb is going out to the trade at exactly the same price as thirdgrade Australian lamb,” Mr Baker says. "Our ewe mutton leaves Smithfield at just double the price it lands there. Apparently the Ministry of Food is making a profit equal to the price the grower receives.” Referring to wool sales promotion. Mr Baker says he is convinced that the growers in the Dominion and the industry generally are getting excellent value for the money allocated to the International Wool Secretariat.