MEAT TRADE PROSPECTS

Waipa Post, Volume XII, Issue 943, 18 May 1920, Page 3

MEAT TRADE PROSPECTS

MR MASSE Y'S OPINION.

DROP HAD TO COME

The Prime Minister was asked recently for his opinion regarding the cabled announcement that the British Government had decided to reduce the price of meat with the apparent object of clearing the glut of stocks at present held. t " I know the drop in prices had to come." said Mr Massey. " That was quite certain, judging by the enormous quantities of meat in stores in Britain, and on the way thereto. Like many others I cannot help thinking that there has been a 'great deal of mismanagement in Britain, particularly in the handling of meat. Everyone knows that the people of Central Europe would be very glad to have whatever surplus may be available, but with the unrest which prevails there it is .apparently almost impossible to provide properly for the requirements of the population. The markets for our produce are limited to Britain and perhaps the United States. Whether we ran do much business with the latter country remains to be seen. The meat trusts do not appeal to many of the producers of this country, and I think that the producers have every reason to be careful. What the position will be six months from now so far as the meat supplies of Britain are concerned it is almost impossible to say. Just at present the outlook for ship-

ping from New Zealand is good, there being no fewer than thirty ships in sight, but even with this number of ships, and others to follow, it is almost certain that there will be a large quantity of meat in our cold stores when next season opens at the end of the year. " The Imperial Government will make a serious loss by the reduction in price which has been announced, but as against that they made a good profit on Australlasian meat during most of 1918.

" For some time past I have been unable to get any definite statement from the Board of Trade or the Food Ministry with regard to their intentions in the way of assisting us, and avoiding confusion and inconvenience which may result from having quantities of Imperial Government owned meat in store after the end of 192.0. There is no reason to be pessimistic with regard to the future, but what has happened and is happening in regard to meat, along with the drop in prices of wool announced, is another indication that we cannot depend upon the very good, prices which we have received for our products during the war period continuing indefinitely. " There is no possibility of a continuation of the meat commandeer. If the Imperial Government agree to an extension of the requisition it will be only for a short period in order to enable the stores to be cleared before the new season's meat is ready for shipment. I have no information to convey about butter, but there will be no commandeer. It is quite definite that there will be no commandeer of cheese this season."

The reduction of the price of meat in England will be welcome news to producers, who have for many months been pressing Mr Massey to influence the British Government to take this step in order to clear the stores. "F^'H