THE MEAT POSITION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 244, 15 October 1932, Page 7

THE MEAT POSITION

IMPORTERS’ OPINION. LONDON, Oct. 13. British and Australian business circles express satisfaction with the Ottawa agreements, which they believe ought to be of mutual benefit, but leading importers express the opinion that there is not likely to be any great effect on tho Australian trade in 1933, particularly as the Argentine is permitted to send the same quantity of chilled beef as hitherto. Regarding mutton and lamb, although imports from the Argentine will be reduced, they are not likely to have an effect on prices here, for Argentine shipments are already declining owing to the low prices obtainable, chiefly on account of the heavy cold-stored stocks of Australian and New Zealand. The Federation of British Industries is calling a special meeting of the Empire Committee to discuss the Ottawa schedules. Mr. Guy Locoek, director of the federation, declares that a cursory examination of the proposals shows that opportunities arc given to many British industries. Butter importers regard the duty of 15s per cwt. on foreign butter as likely to be of considerable assistance to tho sales of Australian and New Zealand, as it is expected to cause a material reduction in Argentine, Danish and other Scandinavian imports, which is very essential in view of the large prospective supplies of Australian and New Zealand, but those are so large that an improvement in prices hardly seems probable.