BUSY FREEZING SEASON.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 5 January 1929, Page 14

BUSY FREEZING SEASON.

REMARKABLE INCREASES.

HEAVY EXPORTS ASSURED

The meat killing and freezing season in the Dominion lias opened at remarkable strength. The latest communique of tlie- Meat Producers ’ Board, detailing killings for export between October 1 and November 15, reveals surprising increases in the killings of lamb, mutton and pigs. It is probable that the strength of the Home markets has stimulated operations, but all stock tiro well forward, and the season is early and excellent. Pastures throughout the country ate making vigorous growth, and in the Auckland province have received a

fresh. impetus as tie l result of recent ! showers. Very heavy exports of frozen j meat, pork and 'bacon, for the season. . are assured. } The most striking feature o± the killing season, to date l is the early and surprisingly great advance in the killings of lambs. These to date represent an increase of just over 75 per cent. Whuc rbliat will, of courso, not bo throughout the season, it is a healthy sign, and serves to show how eagerly the industry is grasping the early opportunity of very payable values at Home in a- time of maximum production on this side of the water. Killings of porkers are over 90 peT cent, greater than) for the corresponding period of last season. The contribution of the Auckland province to that, result must be veTy large, for pig farming as on adjunct to dairying is becoming an increasingly important element in the primary production of the country. The result, too, points to the success of the efforts of farmers ’ organisations and the Government to foster the pig industry, thus increasing the avcimcs of production. The killings of baconers and *of beef are about the same, but mutton, again, shows an. increase of 30 per cent. Sundry meat exports are infinitely greater. Boneless beef is the only item in meat export which does not show an increase. Stocks on hand are naturally considerably greater than at this time last year. The following figures, with those for the corresponding period of last season in parentheses, indicate salient points in the situation: Lamb, 24,273 (13,072); mutton, 31,487 (22,942), porkers, 8492 (4190); sundries, 41,573 (9088). The position is, however, largely offset by the increase in the amount of meat loaded info steamers which are about to depart from New Zealand. Figures iu this respect, with those for the corresponding period of last year in parentheses, are as foQlows: Mutton, 30,308 (12,080); lamb, 17,672 (5793); porkers and baconers, 3584 (2374). A separate return issued by the Meat Producers’ Board indicates a growing trade in beef with Eastern Canada and New York. During the first fortnight of November, 704 quarters of beef wore shipped to Halifax and 5729 to New York. Vancouver, too, is taking a share, and the West Coast ports of the United Kingdom are easing the strain on the London market, which is so fully catered for by the Argentine.