BRITISH MEAT IMPORTS

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27670, 28 May 1955, Page 10

BRITISH MEAT IMPORTS

CASE AGAINST BULK BUYING (Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) . LONDON, May 26. Giving reasons in the “Daily Telegraph” why he considered the bulk buying of meat must in the end fail, Mr Charles Coupar, an ’ official of the Imported Meat Trade Association, said it was already apparent that, because meat from overseas was no longer bought by Government departments but by experts and specialists, there could be no rationing, but instead a wide selection and better quality. The Socialist “planned economy” made countless errors of judgment, but few affected the housewife more directly than a continuance of the bulk buying of meat. Meat tough, too fat; and ung alatable was -continually to be found in utchers’ shops. “There were frequent and unnecessary fluctuations between glut and shortage and the meat ration fell to lOd a week in 1949, and even to 8d in 1951,” he said, “because of Irregular shipments, inflexible prices, and international squabbles that arose, particularly with the Argentine. “The Conservatives realised at once that meat was one of the most important food commodities in the household budget. / bout 17 per cent, of the total household expenditure on food is spent on meat and bacon, and in 1954 this meant a total expenditure of about £440,000,000. The Conservative Government restored the buy in" of r.ieat to those who by long experience understand it—that is, to free enterprise. . “The Socialists were eager to point out that the consumer would merely be faced with higher prices, and would be driven to buy less meat. What are the facts? People have been buying more and more meat. The economic survey for 1955 shows that in the last four years the consumption of meat a head has risen by more than one-third, as follows: 1951, 76ib; 1952, 851 b; 19§3, 931 b; and 1954 (provisional), 1031 b. “Since decontrol in July, 1954, practically all the Government’s accumulated stocks of meat have been sold and all meat importing fi. ms are bringing in fresh supplies. The public, by exercising the privilege of freedom of choice in the free market guides the policy of these importers.”