THE PRICE OF MEAT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15975, 21 July 1915, Page 5

THE PRICE OF MEAT.

RECENT INCREASES. DEMAND FOR EXPORT. INCREASED SHIPPING SPACE. More than the usual interest is expected to be displayed by buyers at the fat stock sales at Westfield to-day, owing to the increased prices which have recently been obtained. Within a brief period the price of meat, on the hoof, lias risen from 59s 6d to 45s per 1001b, and the opinion has been expressed by operators in the meat market that the price will yet rise to 50s per 1001b. Taking the average fat bullock at 8001b, this works out at £20 per bullock. a price which seems extraordinary, but which has been equalled in times when there was no talk of war. The cause of the rise in the price of fat | stock has been attributed to a scarcity of marketable sheep and cattle. Inquiries made by a Hkrai.d representative show, however, that there are no indications yet of any scarcity. Until the farmers reply to the letters which have been sent to them, notifying what space is available for shipment, no true estimate of the amount of stock available can be made. The immediate cause of the increased prices appears to be directly connected with the increased facilities now offering for the shipment of frozen meat to the London marketsVessels to Load. These facilities are shown in the following list of ships to load in Auckland, and the number of carcases, measured on the basis of 601b mutton carcases, which will be shipped here by each vessel : — CarcasesIndrapura, now loading . . 14,000 wera, now loading 7.500 Opawa. due August 20 ... . . 5.000 Otaki, due September 7 ... ... 4.000 At Whangarei the Otaki wiTl commence | loading 9000 carcases on September 4. while , at Waitara the Delphic will load 8000 carcases to-day. the La Blanca 17.000 carcases on July 25. and the Waimate 20,000 on September 6. This amount of shipping to be available at early dates is expected to materially affect the" situation. Restricted Export Trade. From figures supplied by the secretary of the Auckland Farmers'" Freezing Company. Mr. H. G. Stringer, the manner in which the company's export trade has been restricted is clearly shown, shortage of tonnage being the cause of the restriction, Following are the figures, those for July being estimated :— r -. „., , „ Worked Capacity. Killed- Deficiency. Days March ... 81.000 43.186 37.814 14 April _. 69.000 -26.199 42.801 3 May ... 76.000 14,464 63.536 6 June ... 78,000 10.537 67.463 10 July ... 61.000 35,310 45.660 27 The fact which interests the public is a statement which has been made to- the effect that the retail price of meat in -Auckland must rise and remain high for some time. Owing to the shortage of ships or exporting the local price has been lower than the export price. But the increased shipping facilities mean a greater demand for stok. and consequently increased prices. Hcrw high prices will go depends upon the amount of stock that is available for market, and this in turn depends upon the weather. If it is warm he stock will fat " id,v for market, if mid, there may be a temporary shortage. But■ until the farmers indicate" what fat stock they have available, no true estimate of the position can be made