THE BEEF MARKET.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1921, Page 2

THE BEEF MARKET.

PROSPECTS ARE UNSATISFACTORY. SOUTH AMERICAN COMPETITION. “The outlook for New Zealand producers of beef cannot be regarded as satisfactory;” said the chairman of the Wellington Meat Export Company (Mr. J. W. Marshall) at the annual meeting of shareholders on Tuesday. “The enormous development of the cattle-carrying capacity of South America by the addition of (Brazil to the beef-exporting countries must place the centre of the beef trade of the world in South America. The Argentine has a stock of some 30,000,000 cattle, and the herds of Brazil are estimated at the same number. Since 1917 at least five freezing works ’have been established in South Brazil, some with a capacity of 1000 head per day.” Mr. Marshall pointed out that South American exporters of "beef had the advantage of cheap production and comparatively low freights in dealing with the English and Continental markets, and they had also the power to send large quantities of beef chilled instead of frozen. Madagascar was also being developed as a beef-producing country, and one large British firm had already built freezing works there. He believed that New Zealand mutton and lamb would always maintain superiority o&ing to the quality of the Dominion’s climate and pastures. Beef was now unprofitable for export from this country, and in consequence he expected to see a large development in the dairying business, as much of the land formerly used for fattening bullocks would be used for the production of butter and cheese.