PRIME CATTLE IN DEMAND

Evening Star, Issue 18336, 25 July 1923, Page 8

PRIME CATTLE IN DEMAND

NO REDUCTION IN PRICE OF BEEF. In conversation with several butchers ami fanners at Ihe Burnside sales to-day, :i 'Star’ reporter was informed that, there does net appear to bo mue.b likelihood of a reduction in the price of beef for some time to come. One fanner said that there was an ample supply throughout the couuI i-v, but many graziers and farmers were holding bade supplies in anticipation oi advanced prices" being realised at the ClmsUlmrch sales. There was no likelihood of ,a shortage oi beef belore the new season’s grass came in, despite the pessimistic talk regarding the alleged shortage. The present position disclosed several factnr.-> which must be considered when summing up the fat cattle market, hi the meantime. -Australia was drawing on the North Island to the extent of many hundred head of prime animals, and Canterbury was also looking to the. North Island for consignments. The question was: Would these consignments come forward! Canterbury butchers had triad (lie, south tor supplies of fat cattle, and had found that vendors were asking for higher values for their big herds now on turnips than thev were prepared to give. The local demand at the present moment, no doubt, was brisk, but whether one could safely anticipate very much higl or rotes was a not her mm ter. At ’.he present time any beef corning from 'he North Island for consumption in Dunedbi was quoted at 27s 6d per 1001 h from the place of export, which meant that the cost was fully 37s Gd per 10011) delivered here.