RECORD SEASON

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4816, 28 July 1939, Page 2

RECORD SEASON

PRODUCTION OF MEAT.

SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE SHOWN

HIGHER FAT LAMB KILLINGS. Although lambing percentages were lower than usual and the number of lambs tailed was officially estimated at 16,645,165, or 695,749 lower than the previous year, killings of lambs for export to May 31, 1939, exceeded last year's export figures to the same date by 554,690. It is expected that final figures will reach the record kill of 9,750,000. The annual report of the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board indicates a substantial increase in mutton killings, while the report states that with the exception of pigs, all other classes of stock are expected to show increases, and that the total weight of meat treated for shipment this season will be easily a record for the Dominion. The abnormal kill of sheep and lambs this season, due largely to climatic conditions, is reflected in the flock returns at April 30, 1939, the interim figures for which are just to hand. These returns show that the total flocks at April 30 stand at 31,857,549, which is a decrease of 521,225. The board has continued to exercise the greatest care in the regulation of supplies of meat going forward to the British market. The work of regulating shipments has been particularly arduous this year on account of the abnormally dry season experienced.

Effects of Drought.

The prolonged drought extending ever a great part of New Zealand caused farmers to send to the freezing works large numbers of sheep and lambs much earlier in the season than usual. Killings of sheep and lambs at March 15 had exceeded the kill to the same date in the previous year by over 1,000,000 carcases, and at April 30 this increase of 1,000,000 had still been maintained. ' When it is remembered that last season a dry summer was also experienced in most districts, causing killings to be heavy in the early part of the season, it will be realised more fully what an unprecedented position has been experienced this year. As a result of these heavy killings storage capacity of many works has been severely taxed and killings had to be restricted at some works. In the allotment of shipping space special consideration was given to the points where the trouble was acute and the shipping companies and the board specially arranged for vessels to give early loading to ports where the position has been most serious.

Spacing of Supplies.

It is the board's policy to keep all works in operation, as it fully realises the serious position which must otherwise eventuate from the farmers' point of view. At the same time* having regard to the stocks of frozen mutton and lamb from all sources in cold store in the United Kingdom, it was necessary to watch the position carefully to see that the London market was not overloaded. To allow excessive supplies to go forward to a market already heavily loaded would be most detrimental to prices receiv-ed-for our produce, and the board had to avoid this at all costs. There is no doubt, comments the board, that the refrigerated storage capacity of many freezing works in the Dominion is not equal to the strain of an abnormal season such as the one just experienced, and it would be in the interests of the Dominion if storage facilities were increased at a number of works. In arranging shipping tonnage the board continues to give careful consideration to the distribution of supplies over as wide a geographical area as possible in Great Britain.

British Restriction.

The board states that the year has seen an important and serious development in the decision of the British Government to impose a restriction on Dominion . mutton and lamb imports for the calendar year 1939. The board is examining various proposals to meet the position brought about by these restrictions. It is inadvisable, however, to make a premature decision as to future action, which will depend upon a number of factors that cannot yet be finally determined.

It was unfortunate for New Zealand that 1938 should have been taken as a basis for our quota for the calendar year 1939, as the unfavourable fattening season experienced in the 1937-38 season resulted in our tonnage of mutton and lamb landings in the calendar year 1938 being lighter than it would otherwise have been.

In view ofthe increasing competition from all sources in the meat export trade in Great Britain, the board again stresses to all farmers and sheep breeders the vital importance of improving the quality of their flocks.