DROP IN N.Z. LAMB EXPORTS TO BRITAIN

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28836, 5 March 1959, Page 15

DROP IN N.Z. LAMB EXPORTS TO BRITAIN

(New Zealand Press Associations

WELLINGTON, March 4.

The tonnage of New Zealand lamb for the United Kingdom market will be lighter for the present quarter of the year than had been expected, says the latest survey of production and market trends issued by the New Zealand Meat Producers Board. There was a decline of 4800 tons, or 4.3 per cent., in the weight of export lamb produced in the period, October 1, 1958, to January 31, 1959, compared with the tonnage produced in the same period last season. This decline was due to the lighter average weights of lamb produced this year. The average weight fell about 21b a lamb chiefly because of an unfavourable season in large producing areas. Total export meat production was 155,124 tons compared with 148,603 tons in the similar period last season. Sales Outside UK. Sales outside the United Kingdom have continued to yield satisfactory returns in the early weeks of the yedt. Meat export receipts through the banking system in January were £6,567,174 compared with £5,556,207 in January, 1958. Prices on the United Kingdom market during last

month remained strong for beef, though a point was reached at which buyer resistance became apparent. Most New Zealand beef continued to be sold outside the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom market, at late February, was well sup-' plied with lamb and mutton. Among the major factors increasing the customarily heavy supply at this time of the year have been the carryover on United Kingdom farms of lambs which, because of seasonal conditions, were not marketed in the closing months of last year; and the large volume of Australian supplies. Australian export lamb production in the months July-Decem-ber, 1958, totalled 37,545 tons compared with 26,856 tons in the same period a year earlier. The total Australian production of.

lamb and mutton for export was 54,929 tons, a rise of 18,221 tons or fifty per cent. Though Australia is pursuing sales outside the United Kingdom, a large proportion of her production has been shipped to the traditional market, and many Australian and Argentine lambs have been sold at well below prices commanded by New Zealand lamb.