BACON FOR BRITAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21132, 15 March 1932, Page 14

BACON FOR BRITAIN.

REVIEW OF PROSPECTS. PAST AND FUTURE TRADE. Producers for bacon for English markets have had a hard time during the past year, and have been faced with extraoidinarily low prices, according to the yearly report, of A. J. Mills and Company, Limited, London, dated January 14. The cause has been the enormous quantities which have been sent, and which have overtaxed consuming capabilities.

" When if, is realised that English imports in 1931 were over 97,000"t0ns in excess of 1930, and no less than 143,000 tons in excess of 1929, it can be easily understood why prices have had to he forced to such low levels to enable these enormous quantities to go into consumption," says the report. "Retailers have met the situation freely at all times, and as practically the whole of the supplies are milcl-cured Wiltshire, cut meats, they have had to be, sold, and stocks cleared up promptly, so that any falling off in supply-will speedily bring about improved prices.

"It is difficult to prophesy as to quantities to come here during the next year, hut on the whole we should say they are more likely to decrease than increase. Although prices to-day are some shillings above the lowest point of the year, they are still on a very low level, and 12s to 14s lower than at this time last, year. It must he some satisfaction to producers to note that our imports for December, for the first, time for many months past, were smaller than in the same month last'year. " The Irish Free State has imposed heavy import tariffs against foreign bacon, vvhich has effectively closed the market that existed there for some of the lower priced goods that, were offering. As they allow Empire produce to pass in without duty, this should stimulate the trade for Canadian which has been in exceedingly small supply for a long time past. "Turning to imports for the. year, it will be noticed that Denmark during the past two years increased her quota to an enormous extent, and the problem today is, whether she can continue these excessive quantities, as undoubtedly producers must have been hard hit by» the •low rates ruling here. The Irish Free State continues to consume more of their own produce. " Quantities of hams from the United Stales continue to decline, and the. fact of this country going off the gold standard will no doubt have an increasing effect on their shipments. Canada, unfortunately, has not been able to make up the deficiency, but it is generally expected that their shipments will increase during- the present year. There has been a material increase in supplies from Poland."