SMITHFIELD MARKET

Press, 18 June 1979, Page 20

SMITHFIELD MARKET

Sluggish demand for all meats in the United Kingdom last week brought a general easing of prices, reports the N.Z. Meat Broad. The off-take of New Zealand iamb remained steady, but the quantity was maintained at the expense of a slight easing of prices for lighter grades, which was more noticeable on Smithfield than in other parts of the country. Beef supplies remained scarce, but, with more home-killed lambs available, domestic lamb prices have dropped significantly. The range of prices for N.Z. lamb on Smithfield, with the previous week’s for comparison, were:

Price Var’n p. p. per lb per lb IPL .. .. 51.0-52,5 +0.25 |PM . 51.0-52.0 n.c. I Imported beef prices on the United States market were slightly stronger last week, after renewed interest by end-users. Cow-beef prices averaged 119 U.S. cents per lb, c.i.f., up one cent. MUTTON The reported sale of 4000 tonnes of New Zealand mutton to the U.S.S.R. will exhaust this season’s stocks. The quoted price is 113 N.Z. cents per kg or 51 cents per lb, ex works, which is equivalent approximately to 71 U.S. cents c.i.f. Japan. The quiet period on the Japanese mutton market is ■continuing, and no New Zealland sales were reported.