FROZEN MUTTGN IN THE LONDON MARKET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7270, 7 March 1885, Page 1 (Supplement)

FROZEN MUTTGN IN THE LONDON MARKET.

[fkom ovs. own cokeespondkntts,] London, 16. The steady supplies of fresh smd frozen meat which have been arriving have prevented much buoyancy in the- frozen meat market, Holland, Russia, Canada, the United States, and the Argentine Republic competing with the Australasian Colonies for the supply of British consumers. Daring the past year 502,374cwt. of fresh mutton have been imported, as against 237,618cwt. in the previous year, and 183,656 in 1882. By far the larger portion of this has come from the Australian Colonies, namely, 303,203cwt., while 116,182cwt. came from Holland, and 52.959 from all other places, the value of the colonial importation being £820,263, and that of the total mutton imported £1,408,510. Of the latest arrivals, the cargo of the Elderslie can hardly be said to be yet placed on the market. There has been some of it sold, but it is understood that it is being held for better prices. The cargo of the Ruapehu, 13,174 carcases, arrived last week in prime condition. Her Wellington sheep have been bringing from 4fd to 5d per lb., and the Canterbury sheep about a farthing a pound more. At the time of my writing only 2550 of the carcases have been sold. From Melbourne and Sydney the Orient has brought in 4000 sheep this week, which are realising, for the Melbourne sheep, from 4§d to sd, and for the Sydney portion from 3£d to 4d per lb. From Queensland, the London market for beef is being tested by a cargo of 1312 quarters of beef brought by the Dorunda. It fetched 5d per lb. for hindquarters, being in excellent condition, except a small portion that had been spoiled, which has been withheld from the market.

It may be interesting to many t» know the retail prices for frozen mutton in London. The prices yesterday in South London were : Side*, 6Jd per lb. ; hind-qnarters, 8d ; forequarters, sid; haunch, 8d; legs, B£d; saddles, 7id; shoulders, 7£d ; loins, 7&d; necks, s£d; breasts, 5d per lb. The price of English mutton, retail, was at the same, time : Sides, 7|d; hind-quarters, Bsd ; forequarters, 6jd ; haunch, 9d ; legs, 9£d; saddles, 8d ; shoulders, 8d ; loins, 8cl; necks, 6^d; breasts, 6d per lb.