MEAT IN AUSTRALIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25213, 30 April 1943, Page 3

MEAT IN AUSTRALIA

RATIONING PROBABLE (Rec. 7 p.m.) SYDNEY, Apl. 29. A warning that meat is likely to be rationed in Australia has been given by the Minister for Com nerce, Mr W. j! Scully. He said that although the Commonwealth had big reserves of mutton and good quantities of beef and lamb it had ony limited reserves of skilled labour for killing, chilling, can. ning. and dehydration. Before the war, he said, Australian civilian meat requirements were between 650,000 and 750.000 tons, while export needs were 250,000 tons. Now the civilian needs \vere 900,000 tons, while the service and export requirements this year would be 500,000 tons. Wheat, on the other hand, had provided an embarrassment of riches. It ■was estimated that there would be a carry-over of 200.000,000 bushels into the 1943 season. Other food supplies, including soft fruits, were in abundance, but distribution difficulties precluded the benefits being shared by all the people. Mr Scully declared that the supply position was a record of achievement in the face of difficulties. In spite of handicaps, the dairying industry had been able to supply the butler requirements of Great Britani. the services and Australian civilians. While Australian civilians might have to do with less of some things normally regarded as indispensable, there was no evidence that they would ever go short ®f food.