FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3272, 18 July 1911, Page 2

FROZEN MEAT TRADE.

SOUTH ISLAND ACTIVITY

The exceptionally heavy consignments of sheep and lambs that have been coming forward to the regular Burnside sales during the past few” weeks (says the “Otago Daily Times"), and the fact that freezing buyers have been operating so extensively, have created quite unusual activity in the local meat freezing industry. At the Christchurch Meat Company’s works at Burnside up to 2000-sheep and lambs per day are now” being killed. The season opened ■this year on February 15, and.' although the date was later than usual by a fortnight the quantities put through already exceed those for the whole of last season, which terminated on August 27. Up to July 5 a total of 150,749 carcases of sheep and lambs had passed through the works, as against 159,521 carcases for the whole of the season last year. The season opened briskly enough, but supplies eased off about the middle of May, in keeping with an easing market, but when prices improved shortly afterwards liberal supplies again commenced to come forward, and! this state of affairs has continued over the past month. The position in North Otago lias been quite the reverse, as owing to the disastrously dry season experienced the company’s works there were closed down shortly after the season opened. The paucity of supplies did not warrant a continuance of operations, and since then wliat little stock lias been offering lias been divided 'between the Dunedin and Christchurch works. During the oast ten days over 32,000 carcases of frozen mutton and lamb have been shipped by the company from Port Chalmers by the Otaki and Atlienic for the Home market.