N.I. lamb schedule

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33675, 26 October 1974, Page 2

N.I. lamb schedule

North Island farmers who have their lambs killed at the works of W. and R. Fletcher (N.Z.), Ltd, will benefit from the fact that increased processing charges cannot be imposed at these works until November 11.

Fletchers yesterday became the first company in the

North Island to put out a schedule of prices to producers for lambs this season, and it contains killing and freezing and skin processing rebates amounting to 69c on a prime 301 b lamb at Westfield, Patea, and the Gisborne Refrigerating Company and 64c at Tomoana in Hawke’s Bay, where the company is also paying a premium of 23c per lamb. The New Zealand Refrigerating Company, which

put out the first schedule in the country last week in the South Island, already had authority to apply increased charges because, under the Stabilisation of Prices Regulations, 1974, the necessary 28 days had expired since it gave notice to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries of its intention to raise its charges. BASIC PRICE Fletcher’s basic schedule is, however, higher than that put out by the New Zealand Refrigerating Company. With the rebates and premium the prime 301 b lamb with 0.75 kilograms of wool is worth $7.45 in Hawke’s Bay, with the rebates $7.16 at the other works. When these are deducted the basic price for the same lamb in Hawke’s Bay is reduced to about $6.58 and at the other works to a little under $6.50, compared with $6.06 in the schedule announced last week by the New Zealand Refrigerating Company. “On the face of it this is not an unsatisfactory price,” said the chairman of the Meat Board (Mr C. Hilgendorf) last evening referring to the $7.45 and $7.16 being offered for the prime 301 b lamb with the 0.75 kilograms wool pull.

At the levels of the Fletcher schedule, he said it was unlikely that the board would be thinking about intervening in the market. NO CHANGE

The Refrigerating Company did not change its schedule yesterday. It began killing at Islington this week, but the numbers handled were small. Thomas Borthwicks will not issue a schedule until early next week. Its livestock manager (Mr A. R. Watson) said yesterday that there would be few, if any, lambs offering yet at its works. It has three works in the North Island and is planning to open two in the week after next.