BRITISH BEEF MARKET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19470, 28 October 1926, Page 14

BRITISH BEEF MARKET.

ARGENTINA'S SUCCESS. QUESTION OF QUALITY ONLY. [ WHERE AUSTRALIA FAILS. An interesting communication regarding tho efforts of Australian beef producers to compete with the Argentine has been received from Senor Guillermo Jum Stemovera, who says that having retired from the active ramcs, ho can take stock of the matter more or less as a disinterested spectator. His observations relate particularly to Australian beef, but they will bo not less interesting to New Zealand graziers. Writing from the Argentine Club, London, Senor Steinovera says:— At timet; one is almost forced to the conviction that tho Australians are not out to deal with this matter seriously at all. "We read in tho press that the meat offered for sale in the principal cities of the Commonwealth is of a poor quality, and again, that the present position of the meat trade is so unsatisfactory that, unless some action be taken through a conference representative of ali the meat producers of Australia, the safety of the country will bo imperilled. It seems to me that the Australian cattle breeders, if they arc really anxious t-o improve their position, have tho cure pretty much in their own hands. It is to be found neither in bounty production of beef, nor in conference or Governmental pats on the back, but in individual enterprise and in facing the facts as they are and in applying iho remedy that is needed. Meeting Public Requirements. If the quality of Australian beef is so "bad as to call for the wholesale condemnation which is so often applied to it, then Australian raisers of beef have no cause for complaint when consumers, whether in the British or the European continental markets, look at it askance, and show a preference for something better. What the Australian cattle producers have to do is patent and obvious, and that is to produce what the pnblic want, a tiling which they are not doing at present, nor will ever bo able to do unless thoy bestir themselves and deal with a practical question in a practical way. I discussed the matter lately with, a leading British fanner, who goes in very extensively for feeding for early maturity, find he remarked that, though the competition in chilled beef from the Argentine was no doubt very severely felt, cattle feeders had little to fear from the added competition which might come even from chilled beef from Australia, since farmers in that country had not yet started to improve their herds to such an extent as to even warrant the expectation of quality. This is exactly the view of the ®tuaf,ion which 1 find is taken by «stanqeros in. Argentina, who laugh at the idea of being ousted from tho British meat market by the class of meat that is sent from Australia. Of course they Tecogruse that there are possibilities in the Australian position, but the Australian "breeders seem so slow to take advantage «f these possibilities that our estancieros are in no way perturbed as regards the future. Demand for the Best. Australian station men seem always lo be waiting for a government or some outside foster-parent to pave tho way to cattle improvement and to a position in the meat markets of the By the methods they are pursuing they may produce something which, through the patronising spectacles of an indulgent Motherland, is accepted as good enough for sustaining the life of Tommy Atkins and his brother of the British Navy, But on its merits the Australian produce will never gain a place in the British meat market for the simple reason that the British market demands the best, and competing countries to secure it innst supply tho best. On the Continent of Europe Australian beef may find a market, though some of these countries are also getting " fed up" with what they are getting from Australia, and are now inquiring for beef of a better quality. I noticed at. the last Sydney Show the champion in tho fat class was a five years old steer of over a ton in weight. So long as the. Australian taste keeps to this type the Argentine beef producers need lose no sleep over the danger of their position in the British market. It is pure presumption 011 the part of the Australians to think that it conk! be otherwise. It was never by " grousing" and complaining that their friends in New Zealand gained the place they have in the lamb trade; they made use of the materials available and by selection and breeding forced their way to the top, far it ia always at the top that there is room, Argentina's Investment. Let the Australians think of the millions of dollars which Argentina spent in building up her herds. It is tho interest on that expenditure which she is reaping today. It is folly to think that Australia can win a place in tho world's meat markets which will ever constitute .serious competition with Argentina without going through the same process of improvement and of upbuilding. It is a costly process, but there is no other way. Just at present when we see Ireland threatened in her store cattle trade to England by cattle from Canada we do not soe the Irishmen wailing and standing still. For the last, few years they have raided the AberdeenAngus herds of Scotland and taken across hundreds of bulls and breeding females of that early maturity beef cattle so that they may supply the article that is wanted and thus keep ahead of the Canadian competition. From the little Green Isle the Continent of Australia can take an example. South American Expansion. It is tree that the time may come when Argentina cannot send the quantities of meat to the British and other markets that she can at present, owing to larger "home" requirements in that country. But even then Australia can be no serious competitor if tho necessity improvement in her cattle is not carried out, for it is a process that takes time, and, while her farmers spend time considering and holding conferences, other South American countries are up and doing what is necessary to be ready to fill any future gap in the supplies. The market is to the country that produces the quality demanded, and it is vain for the greatest enthusiasts for Australian produce to say that the quality of meat from that country is a factor for serious consideration by the Argentine estanciero who, having spent his millions of dollars in effecting improvement. and securing quality, is now deservedly reaping his tens of millions of dollars in snpplying that, market which, above all things, demands quality. As I write I have before me the jubilee number of Anales de la Soeiedad Rural, Argentina. It gives photographs of the winners at the first exhibition of the society in 1875 and alongside photographs of the winners at *he show of 1925. In the contrast thus provided _ Hes the secret of Argentina's position in the British meat market.; in tna inaction of Australia lies tho best of tba continuance of