Lamb storage a problem

Press, 4 March 1983, Page 5

Lamb storage a problem

The unusually high lamb kill this season is causing the meat industry storage problems, according to the chairman of the Meat Board. Mr Adam Begg.

The national lamb kill to February 19 was almost 19 per cent higher than the same period last year, with a 31 per cent increase in the North Island.

While there was increasing concern within the industry about storage. Mr Begg said, measures the board was taking would ensure that the problem did not become too serious.

New cold-storage facilities which will increase the industry's storage capacity by 10 per cent over last season were almost ready and should be in use by midApril.

One-third of mutton production this season had been boned because of contracts the board had with certain processing companies. It was predicted that 3.2 million carcases, or 44 per cent of mutton production, would be boned this season.

“Those companies that have co-operated with the board in the boning programme are unlikely to face serious storage problems because boneless mutton takes up only a third of the space of a carcase." Mr Begg said. In spite of large stocks of old season’s lamb in Britain, shipments of new season’s lamb there were ahead of last year’s levels. The board had also introduced more ships for other trades. Mr Begg said.