MEAT EXPORTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23205, 1 June 1937, Page 10

MEAT EXPORTS

RESTRICTIONS REMOVED “ SITUATION A MYSTERY ” OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT LACKING (Special to Daily Times) AUCKLAND, May 31 On the facts available to meat exporters, the export trade is now back to the position in which it was in 1934 before any export restrictions were imposed, except that permission has still to bo obtained from the Meat Board before shipping pigs of baconer weights. The last of the known restrictions was removed on May 3 last, this affecting beef. Nevertheless, it is assumed by meat exporters who were approached on the subject, that the quota agreements with Great Britain are in existence but it is thought that they are on such a liberal scale that the maximum shipments permitted under them have not vet been approached. “ The whole situation is a mystery,” an exporter remarked. “We have been carrying on under agreements that should now have expired, but no announcement has been made as to whether they have been renewed or fresh arrangements made. Neither the Government nor the Meat Board has told us anything.” Naturally the recent removal of the restrictions on beef has been given significance on the quota question. Information of their removal was given in memoranda direct to exporters from the Meat Board on April 3 and May 3. For two years it was not possible to export the neck portions of bobby calves nor to export second quality cow beef forequarters nor boneless cow beef derived from forequarters. The freedom to export these types of meat is apparently the reason for the jump in the export figures of beef. In the first two weeks of May, when the prohibition was lifted, the quarters shipped totalled 10.369, against 4569 in the corresponding period of April and 3553 in the first week of March. It is thought in the trade that, if apparently the free export of meat were the result of a trade agreement fixed by the Minister of Marketing (Mr W. Nash) in England, the result would have been announced: if not by him then by the British Government. Canada has fixed up an agreement and South Africa is getting one, but no report has come from Mr Nash In the circumstances, the absence of any official announcement is described as not only curious, but unfair to those engaging in the export trade.