Price For Light Lamb Reduced Again

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32199, 19 January 1970, Page 10

Price For Light Lamb Reduced Again

Farmers will receive less for prime light-weight lambs. Meat traders have announced that from today prices for prime 201 b to 281 b lambs will be lowered again by 0.4 c per lb to 17.1 c per lb for meat.

At the beginning of last week prices for all lambs up to 361 b fell 0.9 c per lb and those over 361 b 0.4 c per lb. Commenting on the further reduction, industry spokesmen said that it was a simple matter of supply and demand. It was estimated that killings of prime 201 b to 281 b lambs in the South Island were 12 per cent ahead of last year whereas those of prime 291 b to 361 b lambs were down about the same amount. Prices for shorn lambskins and some sheepskins have

also been reduced. The reduction for shorn lambskins ranges from lc to 5c a head and payments for these now vary from 36c a head for lambs with a tlb wool pull to 64c for a lamb with a 21b wool pull. Sheepskin reductions range from lc to 4c a head and apply to sheep with wool pulls ranging from jib to 141 b. Payments for sheepskins with bigger pulls are unchanged. Skin payments for sheep now vary from 86c a head for sheep with a Jib wool pull to 191 c for sheep with a 61b pull. The industry spokesman said that the pelt market was “sick.” Clean lamb pelts which were bringing about $13.50 a dozen a year ago, were worth only about $7 today.