EXPORT OF CHILLED BEEF

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXII, Issue 12527, 12 April 1935, Page 2

EXPORT OF CHILLED BEEF

FUTURE OF INDUSTRY WATCHED

WITH INTEREST.

RESULTS OF EXPERIMENTS IN

THE PAST YEAR.

From the farming viewpoint, unquestionably the most important feature of the past year has been the progress made in the investigations into the export of chilled beef from the Dominion to. the Homeland, and the success)ul issue of these investigations, culminating with the stage having been reached when experimental shipments have been superseded by regular commercial cargoes of the chilled commodity. Tho current year will doubtless see considerable further extension made in what is .still an infant industry in the Dominion, states the “Otago Daily Times.” Signs anfl portents arc not wanting that the future of the chilled beef trade so far as the Dominions are concerned may prove more rosy than is at present anticipated by some sections of the farming community, who arc apparently still apt to regard this new in our meat industry with a certain amount of doubt. The operation of the Ottawa agreement is apparently regarded in Great Britain, as well as the Argentine and other South American countries, as likely to cause a recasting in the meat trade generally, and strength is certainly lent to the theory that in the next few years marked preference will be given to the Dominions, at the expense of the Argentine, by the activities of certain huge meat export concerns securing within recent months interests in the Australian meat trade by the acquisition of meat works in Queensland and other States. These firms, which in the past have concentrated solely upon the Argentine so .far as chilled beef is concerned, are now making no secret of the fact that it is the development of the chilled beef industry in Australia which interests them. IMPERIAL PREFERENCE. It is also worth recalling that at the luncheon following the launching of the Blue Star liner, Imperial Star, a few months ago, the general manager of the line Mr L. Dewey, stated that while they regretted that tile Targe 'interests they had built up in the Argentine had to suffer as a result of the policy of Imperial preference, they realised as good citizens that the claims cf the Imperial policy came first, and they were only glad that they happened to he in a position to place their experience at the service of their friends in Australia and New Zealand. Australian interests arc fully alive to the possibilities cf the chilled beef trade, and the annual review of the Queensland Meat Producers Board contained a number of chapters devoted to the preparations that are being made for the launching of the industry on a large scaie in that State. Dominion farmers who have visited the Commonwealth in recent months have returned much impressed with the effect which the chilled beef outlook has had in revitalising what 18 months ago was a waning cattle industry, and that breeders are anxious to give the Australian farmer the cla.ss of quick-maturing stock that he requires is evidenced by the numbers of outstanding cattle from leading New Zealand studs that have recently been purchased by 'Australian breeders. FURTHER. EXPERIMENTS, While commerc.'al shipments are now being made from New Zealand and Australia, the coming 12 months will apparently still see a number of further experiments, carried out. designed to further improve tlio condition In which the moat ir* landed on the Homeland market. Interests across tho Tasman regard tho current year as definitely one of experiment and /state that 1936 should see the industry launched final! on a complete commercial Basis. From the point of view of the farmer who possesses land that ip capable • of the economic fattening of cattle of •suitable type for the chilled beef trade, . the next 12 . months should therefore prove full of interest, and the results of the various shipments made will be watched most carefully. A month or to ago, two export interests were, working the market for suitable cattle for chilling in Hawke’s Bay, and offering , the attractive figure of 25/- a 10(>. If these cattle will always secure such a premium, and a regular demand can be assured, then it is rinquostionahly goihig to pay many of our farmers to concentrate in some degree upon supplying that demand.