STORE BEEF DEAR IN AUCKLAND

Southland Times, Issue 23624, 27 September 1938, Page 6

STORE BEEF DEAR IN AUCKLAND

HIGHER PRICES YET EXPECTED EFFECT OF INCREASING EXPORTS (Special to The Times) AUCKLAND, September 26. No dearer prices for store beef than those being paid at present can be remembered by Auckland butchers over the past 20 years. There is also a prospect that prices will be even dearer when more feed becomes available.

Retail prices for most beef lines were raised last month, but since then values on the fat stock market have again increased and butchers today stated that they were losing heavily on their beef sales. The unfavourable season and increasing exports are stated to be mainly responsible for the very noticeable shortage of store beef for local consumption. Compared with the figures for August 1937 chilled beef exports rose last month by 12,158 carcasses and frozen beef by 6822 carcasses. At last week’s Westfield stock sale the price per 1001 b for extra choice ox was up to 44/-. This represented a rise over the year of 3/- and buyers who have had many years’ experience state that they cannot remember having seen such prices before. Other buyers said beef had not brought such high prices since the end of the Great War. The increase in beef prices at Westfield in the past two months has been almost 25 per cent. The lowest price this year, when consistently high prices have ruled, has been 37?- per. 1001 b. The upward trend has been noticeable since August 10 and the present price of 44/- compares with one of 41/- which ruled from August to November 10 of last year. Prices for calves and pigs have also been exceptionally high, but reasonably low prices are still being paid for fat sheep, of which there is a good supply as a result of a poor lambing season. A year ago prime wethers would have brought up to 50/- a head, but now they are bringing about 35/-. Ewes have similarly declined from 40/- to up to 25/ r . ,