THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6789, 17 November 1883, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company have received the following information from their London manager concerning the shipment of frozen meat sent from tho Bluff per Opawa:—

This vessel arrived in dock on 15th iniSt. (September) with a cargo of C 550 carcasses sheep—2B2of these being.split carcasses, Of, her total consignment 1519 whole carcasses and 77 split carcasses were addressed to this Coinparly. On reference to our special circular of November 18, Ig3i, it will be found that the months of September, October, end November are spoken of as likely to provo the least desirable of the whole year in which to receive consignment? of frozen meat from your side. Unfortunately, confirmation of this dpinion has not been wanting in the caße of the sbipmerJi tfndor review, as the market during the past fortnight haa been duller and more depressed than for some time past, and sales of the sound portions have only been effected with some difficulty at 6d. to 6id, and occasionally O'id per lb ( The consignment generally, though fairly well btitehered, in point of condition does not compare favourably with recent arrivals from other parts of your Colony, notably Canterbury. While freezing on board export ships is never so satisfactory aa in refrigerating worka on shore, in the absence of the lattdr at your port no other was open to shippers than to avail of refrigeration on board the Opawa. This, however, doea not justify either the presence of a considerable number of old wethers and ewes, or the varied siiJea of the uarcasses, or the evident inferiority in condition of some of the sheep at time of _ slaughtering. The last-named defect has in Beveral instances led to dis colouration and unsoundness—a natural but unfortunate result, damaging to the reputation of the entire shipment. We have only to add that it is desirable, when dressing sheep for this market, not to put the forelegs of the animal through the skin at the back of the neck. This treatment doubtless serves to economise space in ship's hold, but its adoption causes the shoulder joints to become distorted, and thus lessens the value of the carcass. We are daily feeding the market according to the existing demand with the sheep consigned to us. Of these 167 carcasses have thus far been sold, the average price obtained for same being Gd per Ib. Of the split carcasses 139 sides have been disposed of at a trifle over 4£d per lb. The latter are quite unsuited to the requirements cf tbiß market, not only on account of their mode of preparation, but also because they appear to be particularly liable to injury by reason of abrasure in separation. Split carcasses are also less saleable because the area of competition for them is lessened, and we cannot therefore recommend their being se nt hither."