DEARER BACON

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 104, 30 October 1923, Page 12

DEARER BACON

RISE IN THE PRICE OF RASHERS:

E^n !-rtve' recovered in price to Is 6d p-jv ('. :-.-:i retail, and the rasher has advanced in not in sympathy, but because of the keen demand of curers for bacon pigs. In the centre of the butter-making district of the Waikato, pigs suitable for bacon curing are commanding, exceptionally high prices. Eeporting on this market the Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Company of Hamilton states: "Brisk business has been done in pigs up to the present (23rd October). Values are exceedingly firm, and inclined to improve. The high prices ruling at the yards have forced the bacon companies far in advance of their opening quotations, and even at present figures some of those operating have found it difficult to obtain supplies, At Waihou yards on Friday values were fully lOd per lb. It is unlikely, however, that these high rates will long continue." It will be' rioted that the Auctioneering Company is of opinion that the high rates will hold. .That is the definite opinion of a large buyer of pigs for bacon who was seen by "The Post" in reference to this. He thought the prices of pigs for baconers were at a critical point, but would not venture to prophesy whether they would presently fall or go even higher. One thing- was certain, he said: the prices current would result in the inflation of prices for store pigs. There would- be a rush to sell everything porcine that went on four legs; but by the time thes-a store pigs had become fit for the bacon-curer the market may have sagged, and then there would be a "squeal" from the farmer as well as the pig. The view -was also expressed that unless something quite unforeseen happened prices must come down, because the demand would receive a check once, 'a certain point in the price was reached. Current wholesale prices to-day were as follow:—Bacon : sides, Is 3d per lb; rolls, Is 3Jd to Is 4d; middles, 1b 6d; ghouldere, Is Id to Is

lid; rolled shoulders,, la 3d; hams, Is 4d to Is 6d; rolled hams, Is 6d; lard, Is. The retailer had to get his profit on this, and bacon called for the highest skill in cutting up if loss wag to be avoided. Such price*, it was held, were above the retail purchaser's idea of values when it came to over-the-oounter business. Then sales fall off, the demand on curers is restricted, and away goes the price dropping downward again. It was asEed if the restriction of the local demand would not bo balanced by export trade to Australia. The reply was that, that trade was now rather quiet. The shipments to Australia were now on a small scale. As for the British market, it was no uso trying that when sides were quoted at 7fd to 8d on the scales. At present the local trade was quite good, considering the limited quantities of bacon and hams available It looks at present as if hams for' Christmas were likely to fetch fully l s 6 d retail j but, again, there may be »uch a ru#h of piga to curers as—combined with rMtrlottd coniunsption—will brine the J»fri.tej*>& MBLMBUBa,?.,