Overseas meat markets

Press, 13 December 1982, Page 36

Overseas meat markets

Retail offtake of New Zealand lamb continued to improve on United Kingdom Wholesale markets last week and prices firmed slightly, the New Zealand Meat Producers Board reports in its weekly market survey. Although the differential between New Zealand and domestic lamb prices continues to widen, domestic lamb values are 15p per lb below the levels at the same time last year. On the Smithfield market New Zealand PM grade lamb was quoted at 50.5-51.5 p per lb. and PL grade at 51.0-52.0 p per lb. The imported manufacturing beef market showed further weakness in the United States, both on the spot market and for 1983 delivery. Il appears that sufficient imported supplies are available until product bonded under the voluntary restraint agreement is released on January 1. New Zealand boneless cow beef for January arrival was quoted at 9495 US cents per lb c.i.f., and bull at 10L101.5 US cents per lb. The board last week sold a large quantity of MM grade carcases to japan. The biggest single purchase of mutton by a Japanese importer this year, the sale has cleared stocks of old season's MM grade. A small parcel of main grade carcases was also sold to Japan.