KEEPING UP THE QUALITY

Taranaki Daily News, 27 July 1931, Page 10

KEEPING UP THE QUALITY

EXPORT TRADE IN FROZEN LAMB. THIRD GRADE STOCK NOT WANTED The necessity for care to maintain the quality of the frozen meat exported from the Dominion is stressed in the annual report of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board. The exceptionally dry weather experienced in some districts —particularly on the east coast of the North Island—during the past season has resulted (states the report) in a greater quantity of second-class lambs being killed, and has made the-work of the board’s-supervising graders more difficult than in a normal year. Despite the large increase in the quantities of lamb which are now being shipped to the United Kingdom from other parts of the world, it is very pleasing to see that our lamb still retains its premier position, due to its outstanding quality; and if these large shipments to the United Kingdom from other parts of the world are to continue —and they are also making strenuous efforts to improve their quality —it makes it all the more necessary that we in this Dominion should concentrate on still- further improving the quality of our lamb. ' '■

The question has been raised as to the advisability of allowing lambs of a grade lower than the limit of our present second-class to be shipped, but the board is strongly of opinion that this would not be in the interests of our frozen meat trade, and that if our ■standard were lowered it would seriously jeopardise our present valuable premium in price over our competitors. The board has, therefore, given definite instructions to its • supervising graders visiting the various works not to allow any- lambs which are below the limit of our present second-class standard to be shipped, and it feels sure that in carrying out its policy in this direction it is protecting the welfare of the farmers of this Dominion. It may be contended that there is a market for these third-grade lambs, but it must be recognised that these lambs would go forward as the product of this Dominion and would be sold as such—and would, therefore, be a source of danger to our trade as a whole. It may also be said that in seasons when drought conditions ■prevail, farmers could often -receive a better price for this class of lamb if they were allowed to be shipped, as against their value as “stores”; but to look at it from this angle would be very short-sighted, for we must not overlook the effect which the export of ’ such lambs would have on the reputation of our trade at Home as a whole.

Th© supervision of all ■ shipments which includes transport from the freezing works to the vessels, and also the handling at the docks in th© United Kingdom, has received the careful attention of the board’s officers during the year, and ,in this connection if may be mentioned that the .board receives from its London ofific© a report giving full particulars of the condition of each shipment as it arrives, and if any damage is reported full investigation is made in each case. As a result of this strict inspection which has been carried out since the inception of the board, a steady improvement has been shown in the condition of our meat on arrival in the United Kingdom. The importance of the careful handling of all live stock whilst in transit to freezing works is a matter to which the board would again take the opportunity of drawing attention. It may not be generally known to farmers that a great many lambs graded second class are put into this class on account of bruising, which would mean a loss of approximately 2s. 6d. per lamb. From investigations made by officials of the board it has been found that a good deal, of this bruising has been caused through pulling the lambs by the wool. The loss that takes place from this cause should be a matter of concern to every farmer in the Dominion.