RIVALS IN THE LAMB TRADE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 70, 24 March 1937, Page 8

RIVALS IN THE LAMB TRADE

New Zealand has been and still is pre-eminent in the imported fat lamb trade of the United Kingdom, but it is not unchallenged. Reference in another column in this issue will show that Australia is becoming a formidable competitor and is likely to increase its shipments of lamb. The value of the lamb export trade to New Zealand last year exceeded £8,000,000, and the value for 1935 closely approached that figure. But Australian shipments to the United

Kingdom since 1930 have grown from 1,965,000 carcasses to 4,747,500 for the year ended June, 1936, and from July 1 to February 28 of this year they have amounted to nearly 3,750,000 carcasses. The Australian Meat Board is concentrating on this trade and it is quite possible that in the vast market of Great Britain, with its diverse classes of trade, there is an outlet for all New Zealand and Australia can produce in the way of lamb. At the same time a cablegram from London is published today commenting on the high quality of a special parcel of lambs from New South Wales and comparing them with the best New Zealand meat. Producers in the Dominion cannot, we think, afford to hold such competition cheaply. Lamb from Victoria commands the highest price in the London market for Australian' meat, but that from New South Wales is usually l-8d per lb cheaper in London.