THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1354, 10 February 1898, Page 4

THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

The recently tabled Unprecedentedly low prices for New Zealand frozen mutton in London—North Island being quoted at only 2 l-16d—and the announcement that River Plate competition was forcing down the market is Very unsatisfactory news for this colony. Yet it will hardly be a surprise to those who are acquainted with the London frozen meat trade and the capabilities of the River Plate countries. The River Plate also has the advantage of being about only half the distance from London and can thus obtain cheaper freight, not only for this reason, but also because the steamers trading there can always get full return cargoes of coal, salt, cement, iron, fencing wire, &c., wh>ch are in good demand in South America, whilst the steamers trading to New Zealand experience difficulty in getting on the average even half cargoes for return loading, and many of them have to load for Australian ports before coming to New Zealand for frozen meat. The demand for cheap freights, without regard to the qualifications, so to speak, of the Vessels for carrying it, with an overstocked market in London, have been the main causes of bringing the trade into its present unsatisfactory state for producers. Next to wool-growing, the frozen meat trade is the most important in the colony, and since its inception, about fifteen years ago, has brought millions sterling into the colony which would otherwise have been lost to it. Its importance can be judged by the following figures showin g the exports, viz i Year. lbs. 1882 ... 1,707,328 1897 153,870,809 During the past two years the exports were :

■*r Carcases Carcases lbs rear. Mutton. Lamb, Beef. 1896 ... 1,496,101 783.072 3,007,300 1897 1,606,431 1,104,965 8,240,324 Being an increase for the year 1897 of 422,223 carcases of mutton and lamb and nearly five and a quarter millions of pounds of beef. At the above rate of increase we shall next year have a surplus of something like 200,000,0001bs of mutton, lamb and beef for export. A rise or fall of only a d per lb to producers on this largo quantity means a sum of i>416,666 to them, aud of Id per lb it is i 8833 ,332 a sum considerably more than sufficient to affect the public revenue of the colony, which is obtained chiefly through the Customhouse. In the face of hard existing facts it is folly to look for any important recovery of prices in London, tt therefore becomes more imperative than ever to seek for other outlets. Fortunately for the colony chese exist in what may be termed the great equilateral triangle (Yokohama, Fremantle and Kurrachee in Western India) whose sides measure about 4300 miles, the nearest point of which, Fremantle, is distant only some 2500 miles. Consequently, the average distance of those markets is le3s than half the distance of London., Hitherto these markets have not been exploited, but the time has now arrived when the initial steps must be taken. Meat producers are not an organised body, but are, so to speak, as much a mob as the dairy farmers were prior to the organisation of the dairy factories and creameries when complete disaster threatened the dairy industry, but which was largely averted by the Government appointing dairy experts to travel through the colony to instruct the farmers in the modern methods of dairying. It is now incumbent on the Government to take immediate preliminary steps for the exploiting of the afore-mentionod markets of tho East, where there is a large and growing demand not only for meat of all sorts, but also other excellent food products of this colony.