MEAT EXPORT TRADE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19762, 13 April 1926, Page 4

MEAT EXPORT TRADE.

PRICES IN BRITAIN. THE WHOLESALE MARKET. The New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board, in its last report from its London manager, quotes the wholesale. Southfield prices for new season’s lambs as at April 1, 1926. as follows:—Prime Canterbury 361 b and under MUd; 371 b to 421 b; 10id : 431 b to 501 b, 9|d; other brands, 421 b and under, 9jd. There does not appear to be much variation in the, prices of the different grades, which is quite a contrast to the quotations recently received for the last of the old season’s lambs. This may be explained by reason of the small quantity of new season’s heavy weight lamb yet on the market.

The major portion of the supplies of new season’s lamb at present oiy Smithfield has been shipped from Hawke’s Bay, Poverty Bay and Wairarapa, and Giving to the climatic conditions prevailing in these districts this season, the average weight of lambs has been considerably below the previous year, with the result that at the present moment there are not many heavy weight new season’s lambs on the London market, evidently not sufficient to cause any great variation in prices between the light and heavy grades. Small quantities of South Island lambs are now appearing on Smithfield, but the heavyweight lambs are not in sufficient quantity to cause buyers to discriminate between the light and heavy grades. Later on. when the main shipments from the South Island commence to arrive and a greater quantity of heavy weight lambs annear on the market, the difference in values between the heavy and light weights will be influenced according to the number of heavy weight lambs yet to be shipped from the South Island. . Last year it may be noted, was an exceptionally good fattening season, particularly in the North Island, as shown by the average weight, of lambs’ shipped, which was above the average season. RETAIL PRICES. The hoard report* that the retail prices quoted by the superintendent of the Smithfield market for New Zealand lamb on February 18, 1926, were as follows:—Legs. Is to Is 4d; shoulders lOd .tp Is 2d; loins. lOd to Is 2d; necks, 8d to Is; breasts, 6d. These prices apply to New Zealand meat retailed in London and are represented by the superintendent of the Smithfield market to fairly reflect a reasonable margin of the wholesale prices ruling in London at that date. These price lists are issued by the superintendent of the Smithfield market each week, as a guide to the public, and the British public can always check the prices charged by retailers by comparing them with these prices. There are some retailers who have, however, been charging higher prices than the Smithfield retail prices, and this is a matter which has been receiving the attention of the Food Council. It may not he generally known that there is now quite a large amount of our lamb and mutton handled bv the different Departmental stores in London, and as an indication of the retail prices at which it is sold by these stores, it may be noted that Messrs Selfridge’s (Ltd.), quote the following retail prices in the press dated January 20. 1926:—New Zealand lamb forequarters 9d per lb; hindquarters Is per lb.