EXPORT MEAT KILLINGS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27523, 18 October 1950, Page 8

EXPORT MEAT KILLINGS

Increase Of 12,355 Tons On Last Season

Special Correspondent WELLINGTON, Oct. 17. Export meat killings for the season ended September 30 show an increase of 12,355 tons on last season’s production of meat for export, states the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board. The board says this result is extremely satisfactory, though the overall tonnage is still some 15,000 below the record achieved in the 1946-47 season, when the rationing of meat was still in force. Increased local consumption since the abolition of rationing is estimated at between 15.000 and 20,000 tons per annum. A disappointing feature of recent years has been the progressive drop in killings of quarter beef since the record kill achieved in the 1946-47 season. In that period, 1,015,645 quarters were frozen for export, the figures for the next three seasons being respectively 872,664. 507,549 and 498,589. Here, again, the influence of increased domestic consumption is being felt, but a better response by producers to the board’s efforts to increase the production of this class of meat had been anticipated. Killings of wether mutton showed a surprising increase of 130,550 carcasses over the figures for the preceding season. Those of ewe mutton decreased by 46,924. At 12,263,618 carcasses, lamb killings were a record, being 400,663 carcasses in excess of the previous season and 307,339 in excess of the old record. Since the 1938-39 season, lamb killings have increased by more than 2,500,000 carcasses, and there is reason to believe that this rate of progression will continue for some years to come. Pig killings show a further decline of 15,637 carcasses on last season’s figures—a disappointing result. Despite the increased killings, the tonnage of meat in store at September 30 was approximately 17,000 less than on the same date last year. It is anticipated that there will be a full clearance of the stores before the new season’s killing is properly under way. The export killings for the season with the corresponding figures for the previous season in parentheses are:— Lamb (carcasses), 12.263,618 (11,862,955); wethers (carcasses), 626,790 (496,240); ewes, carcasses), 2,129,386 (2,176,310): beef (quarters), 493,589 (507,549); porkers (carcasses), 85,909 (86,519); baconers (carcasses), 126,785 (142,824). The average killing weights with comparative figures for last season in parentheses are:— Lambs, 35.171 b (35.541 b): wethers, 60.061 b (59.191 b); ewes, 56.221 b (561 b): beef (quarters), 165.311 b (155.441 b) — all Dominion totals.

Prospects for the new season are favourable, says the board. Early lambing reports show that percentages should again be high and mortality low. Beef prospects are. as usual, unpredictable.