MUTTON IN STORE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20639, 20 August 1941, Page 4

MUTTON IN STORE

BRITISH ADVICE MEAT MAY BE LIFTED NO CANNING. OR BONING (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. "The British Government has now decided that the export of ewe mutton at present in store will not be boned out or canned during the present season.” said the Minister of Marketing. the Hon. J. G. Barclay, yesterday. "It will be recalled that it was originally recommended by a special meat committee set up by the Government in March last that all ewe mutton should be disposed of by means other than export, which meant, in effect, that it would either have to be canned or processed into meat-meal or manures. At that time, it appeared likely that the accumulations of export meat in the Dominion at the end of the present season might amount to a quantity of 180,000 tons. “In view of this situation, the Government agreed, after further consultation with the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board.- definitely to consider the possibility of canning all export ewe mutton. Since that -time, however, the position has materially improved. Factors In Improvement “In the first place, additional -cool storage has been made available: secondly, the development of economies. such as deboning. canning, trimming and moulding, has been remarkably successful in reducing the net volume of our export meat and, finally, liftings by the United Kingdom Government have shown a marked improvement. The combination of these factors makes it almost certain that the quantity of export meat in store at the end of the season, September 30. 1941. will not be much in excess of 100,000 tons. In addition, the Government has received advice from the New Zealand High Commissioner’s Office in the United Kingdom that there is every possibility that the ewe mutton now'in store will be lifted before the ewe killings next season commence to accumulate. Heavy Loss by Processing “It must be realised that, under the present circumstances, the canning of this meat would be advantageous only under the conditions of extreme emergency, because it entails a very heavy loss and means wasting approximately two-thirds of the cafcase. The United Kingdom Government would prefer this meat in carcase form if there was a possibility of lifting it within a reasonable time, “It is also fair to state that the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board was still strongly recommending the deboning and canning of all ewe mutton in store, but it was the view of the Government that, while this recommendation was valid when there was a possibility of a surplus at the end of the season of 180,000 tons, it was not acceptable in the present circumstances, particularly in view of . the definite nature of the communications received from London, advising the New Zealand Government that the boning out of this mutton should not be proceeded with.”