Opening Of Season

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30562, 3 October 1964, Page 8

Opening Of Season

FREEZING companies now have under consid- ; eration the opening dates for the next export killing season at their works. With the ' dry weather continuing and i up to this stage no sign of it breaking, there is every pos- i sibility that farmers will be keen to quit what lambs they have ready at the earliest opportunity to ease up on diminishing feed supplies. The New Zealand Refrigerating Company expects to open its Picton works on October 12, a little more than a week away, and its Islington works on October 19. The date for the opening of its Smithfield works had not been fixed on Thursday, but it might also be the same day as Islington, a spokesman for the company said. The general manager of the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company, Mr R. D. Iles, said its Belfast and Fairfield works would be opening not later than October 19 and possibly even a day or two earlier—possibly about October 16. No definite conclusion had been reached about the opening of Pareora, he said. The North Canterbury Sheepfarmers’ Co-operative Freezing Company’s works at Kaiapoi is expected to open “about October 20.” The new season is likely to open at the Belfast works of Borthwicks “about October 19."

One company spokesman said present plans for opening could be affected by a considerable fall of rain, as it would mean that feed supplies would be assured for some time to come,