SMITHFIELD MARKET

Press, 8 May 1978, Page 18

SMITHFIELD MARKET

The retail off-take of New Zealand lamb in England: and Wales last week has: continued at the buoyant; levels of recent weeks, reports the New Zealand Meat] Producers’ Board in its weekly market survey. Wholesale prices firmed ] again by about Ip. These increases have not yet filtered: through to consumers, but wholesalers are expecting; further slight price increases. depending on retail reaction. There has been some consumer resistance to the high price of roasting beef, but I there were slightly more | I home-killed spring lambs I available, and prices firmed] ‘slightly up to 76p. Prices for New Zealand lamb were:— Price Var’n ■ P P per lb per lbi ;PL .. .. 48.549.5 +1.50 PM .. .. 47.5-48.5 +1.501 | pH .. .. 44.5-46.0 n.c. I IYL .. • • 47.548.5 +0.75 (nominal) OL .. .. 48.0 — I I ON ■■ 46.047.0 — I No cartons of New Zealland lamb cuts were pitched I on Smithfield last week, and I the following are nominal prices only:— (Legs .. 70.0-72.0 I Long Loins .. 53.0-55.0 | Short Fores • • 34.0-36.0 MANUFACTURING BEEF I Because adequate supplies of relatively cheap domestic beef were available, the average price for imported > cow-beef on the United I States market last week leased to 96.5 U.S. cents per I lb, c.i.f., from last week’s 1100 c. The market is currently suffering from an over-sup-ply of grinding beef, and

hamburger manufacturers are showing no interest in contracting forward. MUTTON The Japanese mutton mari ket has continued to remain quiet, although an unconfirmed sale of about 600 I tonnes of New Zealand carcase mutton has been re- : ported. Currently New Zealand I has been indicating up to 46c for carcase mutton.