Britain Cannot Correct Meat Position Quickly

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30471, 19 June 1964, Page 11

Britain Cannot Correct Meat Position Quickly

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) LONDON, June 18. It may be years before Britain again has an abundance of n ) es Vi sai^_^ r T. R. Tasker, president of the National Federation of Meat Traders’ Association. The present position could not be expected to right itself .overnighht.

This did not mean that Britain would starve, Mr Tasker continued, but it was unlikely that she would have again the same quantities of meat that caused the price levels early in 1963. She would only get such meat as she paid for “on a proper basis.”

“Our traditional suppliers have old-established loyalties to Britain and they won’t easily be tempted away, but as the standard of living rises in the world and there are more mouths to feed everywhere—and more expensive

mouths at that—we cannot expect Britain to get favoured national treatment without offering comparable returns to those obtainable on the continent, in the Far East, and in young developing countries.” Mr Tasker also said that Britain had been conditioned for half a century to artificially low meat prices, and it had been a hard job to overcome this attitude. “Overcome it we have, and in a few short agonising weeks the point has got home that beef today is nearer the true cost of production and

nearer the world price.” The real beneficiary this year has been the Exchequer. The saving in subsidy has been substantial and it must run into millions, for the producer’s guaranteed return has been virtually achieved from the market. “The prospects of expanding home beef production are good, and although this cannot happen overnight, and we have the leeway to make up from the ‘beef drain’ of cows early in the year, there are indications that the British producer is setting about it.”.