MEAT BY AIR

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29068, 3 December 1959, Page 19

MEAT BY AIR

“Close Study” By Board

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, Dec. 2. “The New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board is studying the question of air-freighting chilled and frozen meat very closely,” Mr J. W. De Gruchy, general manager of the board, said tonight. Mr De Gruchy was commenting on a statement from Canadair, Ltd., of Montreal, that its new aircraft, the CL44D, because of its low possible freight rates, would be of special interest to New Zealand meat organisations. “It is just a matter of waiting till the rates for freight come down low enough to make the transport of meat by air feasible,” Mr De Gruchy said. The statement by Canadair said that a joint sales research programme, in association with the Flying Tiger airline, was being made to develop a break-through tariff which would bring airfreight rates down to levels competitive with many truck and rail freight rates throughout the world.

The Flying Tiger Company has ordered a fleet of 10 of this new type of aircraft, which has a swinging tail to facilitate quicker loading and turn-round. The aircraft are to be delivered for service in 1961. The new freight rates for the CL44D are expected to be, on an average, 30 to 40 per cent, under existing rates. The two companies believe that effective development of the market for air cargo space largely depend on a thorough knowledge of the commodities which can be economically transported by aircraft. The co-operative research programme aims at gaining such knowledge.