EXPORT OF FROZEN MEAT

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 28 July 1932, Page 8

EXPORT OF FROZEN MEAT

REVIEW, OF THE YEAR AN ALL-ROUND INCREASE Ne.w high records in the frozen meat export trade have been established this .year, according t.o the annual report of the Newi Zealland Meat Producers’ Board. The killings of lamb and the total quantity of frozen meat exported from the Dominion will easily eclipse those of all previous years. During the nine months' ended June 30, the 'killings ‘ of stock for export were as* follows, the figures for the full twelve months of the 19301-31 season being shown in parentheses: Lamb, 8,592,677 carcases (7,783,523) ; mutton, 2,862,342 carcases (2,132,532 carcases) ; pork, 146,075 carcases (132,400) ; beef, 150,357 quarters' (143,169); boneless beef and sundries, 475,702 freight carcases (573,776). The total killings of meat for the nine months were equivalent to 8,291,584, 60lb freight carcases, as compared with 7,358,8855 for the twelve months 1930-31.

The 'hilling season commenced much earlier than usual, and owing to the continued dry weather, and with prospects of prices falling fanners were inclined to send along their stock earlier. The effect is shown in the lower average weight of lambs as compared with previous seasons. AsU showing the enormous development in the export of frozen lamb to the United Kingdom, the report states that in 1913 the total shipments from New Zealand, Australia, and South America amounted to 5,617,405 lambs, whereas for the twelve months ended December 31, 1931, the totaili shipments reached 16,805,148 lambs, made up as follow:—•

New Zealand 8,167,084 Australia 3,257,445 South America 5,379,719 16,805,148 GRADING AND HANDLING OF MEAT. The supervision of the grading of meat at all works has received the 'usual careful attention of the hoard’s •supervisors, and they have again reported most favourably on the standard of grading throughout the Dominion. The co-operation that < xists between the supervising graders and the freezing works is most helpful in this work, showing a united desire to uphold the high reputation this Dominion enjoys in regard to the grading of meat. It is also satisfactory to note from the reports of the board’s’ inspectors who supervise the loading of vessels, that a steady improvement continues in the handling and transport of frozen meat. The improved: handling at this end, combined with the reforms which - have been instituted at the various ports in the United Kingdom, have undoubtedly resulted in the meat being shown to better advantage _ on the Home market. The board receives from its London offices' a report on the cut-turn of every meat cargo from the Dominion.

With a view to still further improving the quality of the Dominion’s lambs, and also educating farmers as to the requirements of the Home trade, the board inaugurated a competition among the various districts throughout the Dominion, offering a •perpetual challenge shield for the best district display of lambs from the North Island, also one for the South ■lsland. In addition the board gave special orizes for the best individual 'lots of lambs shipped from the North Island and similar prizes for the South Island. An exhaustive review is also given in the report of the board’s, advertising campaign in Great Britain, on which £17,397 was spent with good results during the year. The report also discusses at some length the economic position of the New Zealand fanner and the exchange question. Reference is also made to the importance to the meat industry of the Ottawa Conference.

This being the jubilee year of the frozen meat trade suitable reference is made to the significance of the pioneer shipment in the Dunedin in 1882. During the last 50 years the exports of frozen meat "were valued at over £221.000,000.

REGULATION OF SHIPMENTS. Regularity of supply is a most important factor in the successful marketing of New Zealand meat in Britain. The annual report of the Meat Board states that great attention has been paid to the work of regulating shipments with the result that this season arrivals in Britain have been well distributed throughout each month.

In anticipation of an increased quantity of meat this year, the board made provision with the shipping companies for the supply of ample tonnage, and so arranged it as to enable early killings to be shipped as promptly as possible, with the result that a substantial quantity of lambs were landed in the United Kingdom ;in| ’December, which, from the point of view of earlv new season’s arrivals constitutes a record for this Dominion.

This season has been a most difficult one in the work of regulating shipments, owing to the local conditions prevailng—an early season, abnormal killings of both mutton and lamb, and the uneertanty of beef killings, being the outstanding features. Being so far away from the market extreme care had to be exercised in tho ordering of the necessary tonnage, particularly having regard to the large number of vessels which have to come out in ballast. The lightermen’s strike in London, which lasted several weeks, delayed the discharge of many vessels, resulting in corresponding delays in returning those ships to the Dominion for loading. Although the increased killings this season to June 3D totalled 777.520 •sheep and 995,882 lambs over the nine months of 1930-31, most of this increase has been already shipped. Considerable development has taken place in the direct shipment of meat to West of Britain ports. For the period ended June 1,360,794 60lb freight.carcases went to those ports as against 1,424,185 for the whole of 1930-31 and 1,090,307 in 1929-30.