FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10241, 2 September 1909, Page 6

FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

The Colonial Consignment, and Distributing Company, Limited, report as follows.on--July 23: —- Since -the issue of our last report the value of Home-grown meat has been fairly steady. English mutton is selling at oijd to 6id per lb and Scotch at 6Jd to 6Jd per lb, this latter figure is however slightly lower than last week. All other descriptions of meat show a decided decline in value. Beef continues to attract a good deal of attention, but evidently the demand is not sufficient to cope with the supply, consequently prices are weakening, ilinglisli and Scotch is selling at about last week's prices, but South American chilled has declined id per lb both for hind and forequarters. To-day's quotations are 33d to 4Jd per lb for hinds, and 2i;d to 2-Jd per lb for forequarters. North American chilled is in scarce supply, and values for the best quality show no change. Hinds are worth 5Jd to Gid per lb, while fores are making SJd- to 4Jd per lb. New Zealand Mutton. —The following are the arrivals during the week: 777 carcases per Langton Grange, 19,721 carcases per Waiwera, and 24,548 carcases by the Opawa. Although the above, shipments are small they are nevertheless an unwelcome addition to the present excessive stocks, and until there is some substantial reduction in the quantities on hand we can hardly hope to see an advance in values. Canterbury mutton is only making 2id to per lb,, for the best quality, showing a decline of about id per lb. North Islands are selling at l|d to 2id per lb,, being Jd per lb down on the more saleable weights. Heavy carcases are very difficult to move even at such a low figure as l|d per lb. Frozen Lamb. —Stocks have been increased by the following shipments: LaiiKt.on rGrange 86,503 carcases, Waiwera 31,424 carcases', Opawa 81,396 carcases. This makes a total of 199,323 carcases, :dl from New Zealand, in addition to 2599 carcases from Australia and 463S carcases from South America. The market is distinctly weaker owing to the attempted combination referred to in our last report not having met with success, the difficulty in clearing each day's pitcliings- making it impossible to maintain the values agreed upon. .Canterbury lambs are worth 3id to 4d per lb for prime weights, heavies being valued at 3£d per lb, while the range for North Islands is from to 3g-d per lb. Australian lamb is not in sufficient supply to give an accurate quotation. Frozen Beef.—Receipts comprise 6680 quarters from New Zealand, 800 quarters from Australia and 40,155 quar-ters-from South America: The heavy supplies of chilled beef have affected this market an dvalues are distinctly weaker with a downward tendency.