FROZEN MEAT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 15 May 1928, Page 9

FROZEN MEAT.

TRIAL SHIPMENTS. TESTING AMERICAN MARKETS. With a view to opening up a market for our frozen meat in the- United States of America and Canada, the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board, has made several trial shipments, and as -a result of a special visit made by the board’s London manager to both Canada and the States it has made further shipments this season. A trial shipment of 12,500 lambs sent forward by the Meat Board has recently been marketed in New York, and a further shipment has been arranged, (states a Press communique issued by the board). Y Coinciding with the arrival of Mr. Forsyth in New York last October, the board shipped to New York a consignment of beef, mutton and lamb, and it is pleasing to- note that the beef met a very favourable market and realised good prices, showing that there is a demand for our frozen beef in this direction. At the present _ moment there is an embargo prohibiting the importation into the United States of any meat from countries- where foot and mouth disease is in existence. Under this order, the whole of Europe and South America are precluded from shipping meat to the United States, so this practically leaves only Canada, New Zealand, and Australia outside of this embargo. From the close investigation which Mr. Forsyth has made in the- United States he has found the -general expression of opinion’ to he that the quality of New Zealand Jamb was excellent. There is, however, in the United States, a greater prejudice against- frozen meat than in Britain, due to the fact that the United States, so far, lias had plentiful supplies of fresh meat, -and the consuming public, as well as- the- retailers, are not accustomed to frozen meat. Until this prejudice is broken down there will always be a- fairly solid price discrimination between frozen and fresh meat in the States. During the last few months there- lia-s been a considerable demand for our frozen l>eef from New York and also from Montreal, and considerable quantities have been shipped to- these ports. There has also been a good demand for our beef for Army orders in Great Britain’ this year, which, combined with the- demand from- New York and Montreal, has caused a good inquiry for fat cattle throughout the Dominion. From September, 1927, up to April 30, 1928, the following quantities of frozen meat have been shipped by various shippers from New Zealand to United States of America- and Canada : 35,383 quarters beef, 12,856 carcases mutton, 34,965 carcases lamb. Having in view the possibilities of a market for our beef in the United States, the board is tat present investigating the question of making a trial shipment of chilled beef to this market.