ENCOURAGING OUTLOOK FOR MEAT

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7285, 12 October 1933, Page 6

ENCOURAGING OUTLOOK FOR MEAT

Mr D. Jones Predicts Substantial Increase

FARMER SHOULD BE VERY WARY ABOUT SELLING STOCK FORWARD

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Last Night,

“The outlook for meat in the coming season is distinctly encouraging,'' stated Mr. David Jones, chairman of the Meat Producers' Board, on his return from England to-day. “I would not venture on the gamble of forecasting prices, but it.is reasonable to expect a very substantial increase over last year. Not only has meat improved, but wool and pelts and other by-products are all selling at advanced prices, and the output of lamb from Australia promises to bo much less than in the previous year.

“My advice to the farmer is to be very wary about selling his stock forward. He is hard up and is entitled to every penny his stock is worth.”

Mr. Jones said that the Ottawa agreement, as far as New Zealand was concerned, had been freely criticised, but he had never had any doubts about the substantial gain the Dominion received through it. The effect of the preferential system in favour of the Dominions, inaugurated at Ottawa, had been to block definitely a huge quantity of meat from Britain. Tho accumulation of meat had taken some time to go into consumption, but the glut now had been relieved and Ihe market for mutton, lamb and pork, the latter in particular, was in a healthy condition.

Mr. Jones expressed the opinion that the board’s increased expenditure on advertising had been amply justified and there was no Empire product in Britain to-day as well advertised as New Zealand lamb. They had made the retail, butcher their friend by advertising and pushing his sales and they were now getting the results. In the last five years they had concentrated on north Britain, where it had always been maintained that New Zealand meat was too good and heavy to sell. In 1929, 907,000 lambs were shipped to West Coast ports. This ■year the board would almost touch 2,000,000.