MEAT EXPORT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17609, 27 October 1931, Page 9

MEAT EXPORT

BACON AND FROZEN PIGS QUICK FREEZING TOR BEEF MELBOURNE, Oct. 15. According to the report received by the Minister of Markets from the veterinary officer in London, Australian frozen meat has taken a change for the better. Improvement in prices and a steadier market have resulted from short supplies of Brazilian and Argentine beef. The first of the Victorian lambs were pitched at Smitlifield on August 31, and sold readily enough at Bis per stone for firsts and f)s (id for seconds. The bulk —175 tons—of the Belgian army contract of 250 tons of frozen beef for July had been supplied by Australian firms at a useful advance in price to the last contract, This also applied to the Belgian army contract of 250 tons for August, The British Mur .Office contract for six months beginning in October, and representing 4000 tons, was secured bv Australian and New Zealand linns, but principally Australian. There was little other encouragement for the future in frozen beef, though SOOO quarters had found a fair market in Holland. Sonic beef had also gone to France. Canada would ship 10,000 cattle to Franco in the next ten months. The Dominion was reported to be likely to export live cattle to England. An exhibit had been made at Smithfield of a small consignment of Brahmin cross beef from the Rockhampton works. It was favorably commented on by experts. Complaints of dressing of pork carcases had been overcome, with the exception of singeing. ’Most of tho importers were against this. Since the middle of June Australian pigs had been .invariably quoted at the same price as New Zealand, and even in advance, and the curing of bacon in Britain of frozen pigs from overseas was preferred to the export of the cured article. In two experiments frozen bacon after five months ’ storage was found to be rancid, while bacon from lrozen pork held in cold store for a similar period was .in good condition. In feeding for export fish oils or other material of an oily character should be eschewed. . Some bacon prepared from frozen pigs, was awaiting a trial by the director of army contracts. '

Brices at Smithfield per stone in 1951 as compared with 1914, the department points out, were: Beef, 2s 2d to 2s Ibid in 1914 and Is 4-id to 2s Id in 1931; mutton, 2s Oil in 1914 and 2s lOd m 1931; lambs, 3s 9d in 1914 and 4s 4d in 1931. Advocates, of quick freezing suggest the application of their process for beef. A small “Z” demonstration plant ,is shortly to be sent to Australia to a pri\ate linn.