LAMB SALES IN U.K.

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29894, 7 August 1962, Page 16

LAMB SALES IN U.K.

Prices Remain ffigh

During July New Zealand lamb continued to sell on Smithfield market at prices 40 to 45 per cent, above prices ruling a year earlier, says the latest report issued by the market information service of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board. These prices were close to the highest ever recorded for this time of the year, it says. “There has been a strong demand for New Zealand lamb in the United Kingdom throughout the year, and an extremely good rote of disposal," the report says. “This has been so in spite of the increased total volume of meat on the market there.” Confirming that the United Kingdom’s own production is one of the main factors in placing increased supplies of meat on the British market, the service quotes the Commonwealth Economic Committee, which says that total production of meat and offal, but excluding bacon, in the United Kingdom in the firs, five months of this yea- was about 43.000 tons, or 6 per cent., greater than in the same period last year. The expansion was largely accounted for by increases of 27.000 tons of carcase beef and 21.000 tons of pork. “Healthy demand has been the key factor in maintaining prices. There has also been the cold late seasen in the United Kingdom, which delayed the arrival of Homek lled lamb on the market and affected its quality.” Shipments of this season's New Zealand meat to markets outside the United Kingdom to the end of June were nearly 16 per cent, greater in volume than shipments for the comparable period of the previous season. Of total shipments to all markets in the current season totalling 321,726 tons, consignments to markets outside the the United Kingdom totalled 83,733 tons, or 25,7 per cent. In the previous season shipments to markets outside the United Kingdom at the same stage totalled 72,206 tons, or 22.3 per cent, of total shipments.