MEAT EXPORTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 103, 28 October 1939, Page 8

MEAT EXPORTS

PRICES FIXED

PURCHASE BY BRITAIN

DETAILS GIVEN BY

MINISTER

Details of tlie prices at which Britain has agreed to purchase New Zealand's exportable surplus of meat for' a period of one year were announced last night by the Minister of Marketing (the Hon. W. Nash) in a broadcast statement. The Minister commented that the prices were very satisfactory. They were, he said, better than last year's, and were generally based on the 1938 figures, with some modifications helpful to New Zealand. The prices given were payable on board ship, on the basis of 95 per cent, at f.o.b. and the remaining 5 per cent, on' arrival or due date of arrival. j

There were one or two final details to be settled yet as to what the charges from farm gate, through the various channels to the ship, would be. said Mr Nash. Nor had it been finally settled what the price of by-products would be. Hence it was difficult to state definitely how the figures would work out a head in New Zealand currency on the various classes of stock. The figures, however would give a clear indication to farmers as to what they might expect for their fat stock for the coming season. The scale of agreed prices is as follows:—

Porkers and baconers— • • ' First quality . 6 7.46 Second quality .... 53-4 7.15 Porker's. "60-lOOlb—2s' per cent, total export Baconers, 101-1801b—75 per cent, total export. - NEGOTIATIONS OUTLINED. During his address; the Minister outlined the negotiations that led up to the fixing of prices. "In some ways they may appear to have been protracted," he said, "but a great deal of premliminary organisation, inquiry, and consultation had to be made. It will be clear that every effort has been expended on seeing that prices shall be sufficiently reasonable to ensure the production needed, ana l have no doubt that the prices obtained should be reasonably satisfactory for farmers." The Minister said that as with other products the British Uovernment was quickly in touch with New Zealand to make arrangements to buy from the Government our entire exportable surplus for a year of frozen beef, mutton, lamb, pork, and the edible offals. "The first cable I have, dated September 5, suggested that the basis for the contract should be that we should be paid in sterling, 50 per cent, on shipment and 50 per cent, on the date of arrival of the ship," he continued. "The suggested price basis was that contained in the average prices as listed by the Import Meat Trade Association for the calendar year 1938 worked back to a price as loaded on board at New Zealana ports." The Minister outlined discussions he had had with members of the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board and other representative interests. He said that the Department of Agriculture had got in touch with the freezing companies to investigate cool storage facilities and bring them up to the desired storage space. This was merely a question of speeding up arrangements which had already been under discussion. NEW ZEALAND'S SUGGESTIONS. New Zealand then cabled to England suggesting the following:-— 1. That New Zealand would agree to sell to the British Government all its exportable surplus meat and edible offal, but if it suited the United Kingdom the Dominion would appreciate being able to supply a small quanity of meat to the regular trade outside the United Kingdom. 2. The Dominion desired full payment when the meat was placed on board ship. The' difficulty here was that with any possible disorganisation of shipping payments to producers in New Zealand would be held up. 3. In general, New Zealand accepted the Import Meat Trade Association 1938 prices as a basis of discussion, but the classifications of the meat were not necessarily those which would finally be suitable. Other discussions followed on various aspects, Mr. Nash said, with both British and New Zealand interests. Two days ago New Zealand set out its final figures on which it thought agreement might be reached. That morning the Government had received confirmation of those prices. The question of freezing charges and the values of by-products were at pre sent being investigated by a sub-com-mittee set up by the Government. Arrangements had been made for ships to be available sufficient to empty the stores throughout New Zealand ot all last season's surplus meat before the* new season's operations commenced and arrangements also had been made to ensure that the storage capacity at each of the works _in the Dominion was in proper and adequate proportion to its kililng capacity.

Appearing in the Magistrate's Court today for sentence on a charge of stealing jewellery valued at £12 10s from Margaret Grassis, Francis Rui Gay, aged 19, a labourer, was sent to a Bostal institution for two years by Mr. J. h. Stout, SM.

• ,. N.Z. Sterling. Currency. <t. d. Lamb. Prime Down cross—Two* ,. 6 3-8 7.93 Eights 6 5-16 "* 7.85 Fours 6 1_8 7.62 Tegs .... 5 5-8 7 Prime Canterbury qualityTwos 6 5-16 7.85 Eights 6 3-16 7.7 Fours 6 7.5 Tegs 5 1-2 6.84 Prime crossbred— Twos 6 3-16 7.7 Eights 6 1-S 7.6 Fours 5 7-8 7.3 Tegs 5 1-4 6.53 Second quality— 361b and under .. 5 7-8 - 7.3 Over 361b 5 1-2 6.85 Mutton. Prime wethers and maiden ewes— 48lb and under «. 4 5-16 , 5,36 49-561b 3 7-8 4.82 57-641b 3 11-16 4.58 65-721b 3 1-2 4.35 Over 72lb 3 3.73 Second quality wethers— 561b and under .. 3 11-16 4.58 Over 561b 3 3-8 4.2 Ewes— 641b and under ... 2.3-4 3.42 Over 641b 2 3-8 • 2.95 Beef. Boneless ox beef .. 3 3-4 4.66 Boneless bull beef 5 5-8 4.51 Boneless cow beef 3 1-4 4.1 Boneless bobby veal 4 1-8 5.13 Ox and heifer beef— G.A.Q., 145-210 Hinds 4 3-8 5.44 Fores 2 9-16 3.19 Overs and unders, usual ternm. Di and heifer beef, F.A.Q., all weightsHinds ,. 3 7-16 4.27 Fores 2 1-2 3.11 Cow beef, G.A.Q., all Avelghts— Hinds 3 1-4 4.1 Fores 2 7-18 -3.1 Pigs.