Weather affects U.K. meat sales

Press, 7 May 1984, Page 30

Weather affects U.K. meat sales

PA Wellington Meat offtake from both the wholesale and retail sectors in Britain last week was affected by a spell of unseasonally hot weather, reports the Meat Board in its weekly market survey. There have been conflicting reports as to the over-all effects but restocking of New Zealand lamb after the Easter trade has been satisfactory and the wholesale price has advanced Ip per pound. Prices for other meats improved by similar amounts. Entries of domestic lambs into the live market were 33.5 per cent above the previous week’s level, resulting in a decline in price of about lOp per lb at nook level. On the Smithfield market

New Zealand PL grade is being quoted at 67 -68 p per lb (SNZ3.O9 to $3.14 per kg). A sharp downturn in both domestic beef prices and imported manufacturing beef was experienced in the United States last week. For imports it was the worst week in months with falls of up to 4 U.S. cents per lb on some cuts. New Zealand full beef was down 3.5 c to average 107.5 U.S. cents per lb c.i.f. (JNZ3.49 per kg), and cow beef fell 3c to average 102 U.S. cents per lb c.i.f. (SNZ3.3I per kg). The decline was sparked by reaction to continuing heavy domestic cow kills and reports of strike threats in the packing industry. With end user demand evaporating, the volume of imports trade during the week was minimal.