Lamb prices down — and “skim off” as well

Press, 11 December 1976, Page 3

Lamb prices down — and “skim off” as well

Farmers who have lambs: killed next week will receive! a considerably lower price; (than they would have gainedfor the same lambs during: the last week. This is partly because of a: reduction in the over-all! but also because of (the removal of part of their: proceeds for price stabilisa-i ition. Although he will still re-; ceive a very good price, al farmer selling next week a 13.6 kg PM grade lamb with la skin of 0.75 kg wool-pull will receive $1.21 less than this week. Exporters yesterday removed from prices to farmers the premium of 5.5 c a kilogram which they have recently paid for lamb for early shipment. An industry spokesman noted that this had been continued this season longer than expected, and more farmers had benefited from it. At the same time, the basic schedule prices for the meat of P and Y grade I lambs were increased by (either 0.6 c or 0.7 c a kilogram, and the O grades byi |o.6c and I.lc. : For other grades of lamb, I prices were unchanged. I The over-all effect has 'been to reduce the prices for (P, Y. and O grade lambs by: 4.4 c to 4.9 c a kilogram and mainly by 4.8 c or 4.9 c.

From Monday, a part of 1 1 -producers’ returns will belj -skimmed off into the sheep-; (meats stabilisation account:! Ito support prices when re-'< > turns from the market fall -; below floor-price levels. I r j For two weeks now, thep prices for lamb and ewe'! -mutton have been above the' [trigger levels, but at firsts 'the legislation had still not' been passed by Parliament p (to authorise the’deductions, it ■ The chairman of the Meatp Board (Mr Charles Hilgen-ii dorf) said last, week-end thatp he expected the scheme I would begin to work from December 6, but this did not s materialise — so that farm- 5 ers having lambs killed in « the last two weeks have ' escaped the impost. ) But from Monday, 5 per > cent of growers’ gross re- t turns from lamb will be taken off, and 0.819 per cent ' of their returns from ewe 1 mutton. J The so-called “benchmark” ff grade for lamb is the PM grades and under the sched-!< ule which will come intoh force on Monday it will lx bring 80c a kilogram. This is J 18c above the trigger price [for lamb, based on the PM t 'grade. The skim-off is:j equivalent to half of the dif-jr Terence between the triggerij point and the actual sched-(< I ule price, this being 4c. As a|i I percentage of the schedule! r price, 5 per cent, this is 11

then applied as a levy on alb grades of lamb. While the over-all sched-i -ule for the PM grade is l I down by 4.9 c a kilogram, an additional 4c is skimmed off. I Thus, the producer will next -week receive 8.9 c a kilogram ! less for the meat of this I lamb than this week, representing $1.21. ■ The stabilisation deduc- [ tions from farmers’ lamb |and ewe mutton prices will be made by freezing comjpanies, who will show them, ion farmers’ weight notes or! killing returns. An industry spokesman I said that the new basis schedule rates for lamb were! a reflection of the prices it I was expected it would bring! when it reached the market 1 in Britain from mid-January to late January. It was thought that there would be further adjustments in prices in the new year for stock reaching the market late in February. While there has been no change in prices for ewe mutton, the skins of all sheep will be worth 20c more from Monday. All beef prices have also! been increased. Bull beefprices have been raised by; 3c a kilogram, and all other grades of beef by 2c. An industry spokesman. said that it reflected a firming in the market. These increases follow a 2c to 4c a kilogram

i-increase last week, after delx aiuation. The new prices are: LAMB i PL. S to 12.5 kilograms, 82.9 c • per kg: PM, 13 to 16kg, 80c. t PH, 16 5 to 2...3kx. 73.2 c: \l. V 8 i.o 12.5 kg. 82.9 c; YM; 13 to -16 kg. Cue; YH, 16.5 to 25.5 kg, ” 73.2 c: OL. 8 Io 12.5 kg, 79c; OM, ‘l3 to 16kg. 76.1 c: A, 8 to 12.5 kg. [74c; F. 8 to 25.5 kg, 43.5 c. CIL. .'up to 12.5 kg, 59c; (. i.M. ovei 112.5 kg, 61.5 c; C2. all weights. '|3&sc; M. all weights, 26c. [i There have been no changes . in lamb-skin prices, which range, from 239 c for a skin with a 1 j half kilogram of wool to 523 c r for a skin with a Lskg vool- ' pull. I TJie new sheep-skin prices’ ‘ range from 338 c for a skin with 1 > o.2kg of wool to 736 c for a skin J with a wooi-pull of 2kg. BEEF ’ Ox and heifer beef.—Pt: 160.5 slto 220 kg, 54.5 c for ox and 52.5 c r for heifer; 220.5 to 270 kg, 60.5 c and 58.5 c; 270.5 to 340 kg, 62.5 c and 60.5 c; 340.5 kg and over. 63Jc ’ and 61.5 c. G: 160.5 to 220 kg, . 50.5 c and 48.5 c; 220.5 to 270 kg, , 56.5 c and 54.5 c; 270.5 to 340 kg, 58.5 c and 56.5 c; 340.5 kg and over, 59.5 c and 57.5 c. T: all weights, 53.5 c and 51.5 c. E: all weights, 46c and 44c. LI: 160.5 to 220 kg, 1 51c and 49c; 220.5 to 270 kg, 55c ■ and 53c; 270.5 to 340 kg, 58c and i 56c; 340.5 kg and over, 62c and 60c. L2: 160.5 to 220 kg, 46c and 1 44c; 220.5 to 270 kg, 50c and 48c; 270.5 to 340 kg, 53c and 51c; ( 340.5 kg and over, 57c and 55c. r j.M: under 140 kg. 36c and 36c; ■ 140.5 kg and over. 44c and 44c. Cow beef.—Pl: 160.5 to 200 kg, • 51c; 200.5 kg and over, 57c. G: 160.5 to 200 kg, 49c; 2(H).skg and oxer. 55c. T: ail weights, 51c ’■ E: all weights. 43.5 c. M: under ! 140 kg. 36c; 140.5 kg and oxer, 44c. Bull beef.—Under 160 kg. 49c: 160.5 to 260 kg. 59c; 260.5 kg and i over, 67c.