ENGLAND’S MEAT TRADE

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1816, 26 December 1906, Page 38

ENGLAND’S MEAT TRADE

THROUGH GERMAN EYES

Tho London correspondent of tlie “Cologne Gazette” writes in tho f-olloAV-ing interesting strain on the meat supply question, Avith particular reference to the importation of frozen beef and mutton from Australia, and New Zealand :

•'Large classes of the English population havo got accustomed to such an extent to imported moat that a cessation of, or making the importation more difficult no matter under what pretence, is no longer to bo thought of. In tho great majority of restaurants, even in the most fashionable ones, only imported meat is being used. I myself, for instance, belong to those aylio prefor imported meat, quite independently of its town price, to the English meat, because it is not so fat and goes farther, and frequently is more lasting than the English. The increasing popularity, especially of Australian and New Zealand mutton, can bo best recognised by the fact that in comparison with about twenty years ago, the retail sale price has advanced by at least 75 per cent. I remember, for instance, that I used to buy twenty years ago half hind legs of good Australian mutton at 5d per English pound, which to-day, in a respectable shop, costs 9d to 91 d, and in cheaper neighbourhoods Srjd to 9d per lb of a slightly inferior quality. There are in the wholesale trade two or three qualities of Australian meat. The public does not knotv about this, because in the retail trade, just the same as in the Home trade, in which there are still more numerous gradations of qualities, no reference is made to it. In this respect the retail purchaser is dependent on the honesty of the shopkeepers or to thoir lack of it. “The following figures will slioav how greatly the importation has increased. Whilst in tho year 1885 only 373,078 horned cattle, 750,886 sheep, and 16,522 pigs, of a total value of £8,734,754 sterling, or close on 180 million marks, Avere imported, the importation in the year 1905 amounted to 565,139 horned cattle, 183,084 sheep, and 150 pigs, of the value of £9,944,859 sterling. This increase would, hoAvever, have been insignificant if the importation of slaughtered meat had not increased—in 1885

there were altogether imported 6,712,359 dz. of meat in every condition, in 1905 nearly three times as much, of 18,023,429 dz. Of the latter quantity 698,030 dz. were fresh, salted or other* Aviso preserved beef, 38,411 dz. mutton, and 7,528,000 dz. pork, and all these quantities represented a value of £37,051,480 as compared with £13,500,000 for 1885. It is Avell known to you that despite this vast increase in tho importation, Home meat is not cheaper hoav, hut rather dearer than formerly, at least retail. During the last five years it has been considerably dearer than during the period from 1895 to 1900. In the retail market the increase in price has boon at least 20 per cent, more than formerly, or about as much a« in all other provisions. I explain the fact that the price of Homo meat has in the -wholesale market not increased in the same degree and as compared with the prices of 20 years ago is rather lover, through the circumstance that the quality is not nearly so good as formerly. Through the “socalled” rational method of feeding tho cattle are much more quickly ready for being slaughtered, the meat is not as palatable, and through the large quantities of superfluous fat the retail seller has more waste than formerly, ivhk'h for industrial purposes (principally soap) can only be sold at low prices. “It. pleases some people to attribute tho ‘downfall of English agriculture’ to tho fact that the number of cattle has not increased, and in the case of sheen has act mi liy decrees'’ l T-->o nuinb’r of horned cattle increased hoivevor, from IO.SriS 7bU in 1335 to 11 074.019 in 1995. am! that of sheep decreased in t- e same, period from 30,090.800 to 29,070.777. and in the same proportion that of pigs from 3,08.0.023 to 3.091.059. In this, however, no mention is made that at present, wii h an equal number of stock, the production of moat has obtained an enormous increase through the greatly reduced time which is required in order to make tho cat‘A? ready for slaughtering. Where formerly a hundred head of cattle were required for the production of a given quantity or meat in a given period of time, sevenfy-fivo will suffice to-day. Early readiness for being slaughtered is obtained in. addition to tho s-ci°ntific composition of tho means of fording bv the fro? importation of the feed. The agriculturist gains on both sides, the feeding less and the capital required foist ock is likewise less. “As regards the importation of fresh, meat, there came in 1900 in round' figures -08.990.930 h •««»?. from foreign countries. o f these .£' cc.q from the United Biota?, and .£3.750.009 from Argentina : from the British polonies alone, i.e.. together with a small quantity from Canada, there Avere added from Australia and Ncav Zealand £248.090. Frozen mutton was imported to the extent of -03.800.000 from foreign countries, of udiieh the Argentina was represented by nearly £2.500.009. From Australia and Ncav Zealand fEe

importation amounted to £4.152.761. of vdi re’ l the lion’s share of £3,200,000 goes to Noav Zealand.

As regards the capability of production of oversea, conn tries the foßowing figures explain them selves. The Australia.!! colonies possess at present a stack of at least 7.6 million horned rattle. 06 million sheep, and one million pigs. New Zo'lind possesses 1.7 million horn-ed enfitio, upwards of 1 9 million sheep, and a quarter of a million pigs.