All meats steady

Press, 22 June 1985, Page 24

All meats steady

PA Wellington Trade for all meats in Britain this week was steady at recent price levels with no improvement in off-take, reports the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board. Domestic beef prices were largely unchanged. Domestic lamb prices eased back at live markets by about 3p a lb, which was reflected at hooks, where values fell by up to 4p a lb. Availability increased slightly, but there is still a poor interest from the retail sector. English pork and poultry enjoyed a steady demand at unchanged prices. New Zealand lamb sales were least affected by the indifferent interest in meats, with volume slightly up on the previous week. Agents report that sales levels from this current week will match last week’s with prospects of a slight improvement

On the Smithfield market this week New Zealand PL grade lambs were quoted at 65 to 67p a lb (SNZ4.OO to 4.12 a manufacturing beef strengthened further this week in the United States in spite of strong pointers to weakness in the choice beef sector over the next few months. New Zealand bull beef lifted by US3c to US99c a lb c.i.f. ($NZ4.75 a kg), while cow beef was up half a cent on average at USB6.SC a lb c.i.f. (SNZ4.IS a

Ivith the long July 4 holiday week-end nearing, spot market meat was in strong demand and attracted a scarcity margin over July-August arrivals of about US2c to 3c a lb. Domestic manufacturing beef is firm to improving at present but contracts for choice beef through to August are said to be the weakest in several years.