IMPROVED PRICES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21548, 20 July 1933, Page 13

IMPROVED PRICES

WESTFIELD STOCK SALE SMALL SHEEP YARDINGS A GENERAL SHORTAGE Iho improvement which has charactcrised tho fat stock market throughout the Dominion during tho past few weeks was maintained at tho weekly Westfield salo yesterday. Beef prices roso Is per 1001b., sheep registered an improvement of between Is and 4s a head, and calves and lambs wore firm at lato rates. The pig market was tho only section of tho salo to show a receding tendency. Beef touched 20s for extra choice quality. r lho yarding was rather less than average size and tho quality was good. A comparative scarcity of beef, with a resultant increase in values, is always experienced about this time of tho year. Tho increase in sheep prices also was duo to tho smallness of the yarding. For some time tho numbers of first-class fat sheep olfered have boen decreasing, and stock agents now consider there is a general shortage of fat sheep throughout New Zealand. The opinion is freely expressed that this shortage is due to tho abnormally largo proportion of fat lambs farmers have been selling in the past two or three years, leaving insufficient stock for breeding and store purposes. "This could not go on indefinitely without a serious effect and I consider the present apparent shortage is one of the first evidences of a movement which has been expected for some time," said a stock agent last evening.