SHEEP AND CATTLE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 203, 28 July 1937, Page 2

SHEEP AND CATTLE

VALUE OF INDUSTRY. IMPORTANCE TO DOMINION. The value of the Dominion’s sheep and cattle industry, as measured by the export statistics (f.o.b. values) for the twelve months ended March 31, 1937, is set out in the annual report of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board. The table is as follows: — £

During the season the board has exercised its usual care in the regulation of supplies of meat going forward to the British market, the board’s report, continues. This work has been exceedingly difficult owing to the lateness of the season. The excessive rainfall experienced in many districts in the early part of the year, combined with a lack of sunshine, resulted in the fattening of stock being belated. To show the variations in seasons it may be mentioned that the total weight of all classes of meat killed for export up to January 31, 1937, was 230,531 freight carcases less than the quantity killed up to January 31, 1936, and 677,281 freight carcases less than the quantity treated up to the same date in 1935. From the beginning of February there was an improvement in the numbers treated at the various works, as shown in the total quantities killed to April 15, the figures at this date showing an increase of 296,194 freight earcases as compared with the killings to this date last season. RECORD ANTICIPATED.

It is expected that when the season finally closes the total amount of meat treated for shipment will constitue a record for this Dominion, the board adds.

It was feared by the board that, owing to the backward killing season there would be a rush of stock to the freezing works in later months, leading to congestion in the freezing works’ stores, and in ordering refrigerated tonnage it took this possibility fully into consideration. The quantities ordered would have been adequate to have met the position, but unfortunately some of the vessels to load were late in arriving in the Dominion. In its work of arranging shipments the board may claim that ths system has been markedly successful in avoiding excessive fluctuations in prices and thereby maintaining a higher average of prices than would be attained under conditions of an unregulated market. The aim in regulating shipments is to endeavour to balance them with the capacity of the market to absorb the total volume of supplies likely to be available in England at a given time.

In arranging'shipping freight, careful consideration is also given to the spreading of supplies over as wide a geographical area as possible in Great Britain, having regard to the capacities of the respective markets. London remains the greatest consuming centre, but great care must be given to avoid overloading this market by allotting as much space as possible for discharge at other ports in the United Kingdom.

Meat . ... 13,450,457 Wool . ... 15,787,200 Hides find skins O 640,800 Other by-products (tallow, etc.) ... 1,351,959 Total value ... 33,230,425 The killines of meat for this season. up to May 31. in the North and South Islands, are as follow (last season’s figures up to the same date are also shown): — NORTH ISLAND. Description. 1937. 1936. Chilled beef, qrs 127,455 104,124 Frozen beef, qrs. . 129,609 159,332 Wether mutton, c/cs. . . 874,207 932,790 Ewe mutton, c/cs 431,611 301.050 Lamb, c/cs 4,697,509 4,228,043 Porkers, 'c/cs 383,261 404,748 Baconers, c/cs 222.652 197,743 Boneless beef, frt. c/cs. 326,032 315,723 Boneless bobby veal. frt. c/cs. 58,131 36,770 Sundries, frt. c/rs • 176,382 171,860 SOUTH ISLAND. Description. 1937. 1936. Chilled Beef, qrs - — Frozen beef, qs 8,801 1,099 Wether mutton, c/cs. . 62,483 114,950 Ewe mutton, c/cs 321,077 361,733 Lamb, c/cs 4,005,422 4,027,274 Porkers, c/cs 20,246 23,522 Baconers, c/cs 16,510 15,093 Boneless beef,. frt. c/cs. 42,764 44,638 Boneless bobby veal, frt. c/cs 14,777 13,196 Sundries, frt. c/cs 74,156 ,92,456 REGULATION OF SHIPMENTS.