242 THE WORLD'S MEAT FUTURE 



as the producers become better acquainted with the market 

 need;-. 



A \.iy Hue sample of South African beef was to be seen 

 recently in the Smithfield market. This was a consignment of 

 16 beasts, averaging 880 lbs. per body. The quarters made a 

 very fine show ; they were prize meat from the Johannesburg 

 Fat-Stuck Show, having been sent by the South African Meat 

 Export Company after exhibition in Johannesburg. The meat 

 was from Aberdeen-Angus cattle, with a strain of Devon. Its 

 condition was perfect, good butchering being another quality, 

 which it was welcome to see. The meat fetched 8|d. by the 

 side, and attracted a good number of visitors from outside the 

 market, including Sir Owen Philipps, k.c.m.g., m.p., the well- 

 known Royal Mail Steam Packet chairman, who has done so 

 much to further South African trade. 



Farmers in all parts of South Africa are awakening to the 

 potentialities of the meat export industry, and various concerns 

 are being formulated to take up the business. The pioneer 

 concern, known as the Farmers' Co-operative Meat Industries 

 Limited, has increased its capital considerably to enter upon a 

 larger enterprise, and another large company, comprising some 

 of the best-known names in South Africa, has been formed. 



Sir Thomas Robinson, the Agent-General for Queensland, 

 has during the war been purchasing on behalf of the 

 British Board of Trade South African meat as well 

 as Australian, Xew Zealand, Argentine, Brazilian, and 

 Canadian, but the quantities since the beginning of 1917 

 are not known, neither is the destination of the meat. 

 Over and above the purchases on behalf of the Govern- 

 ment for Great Britain and the Allies, there have been some 

 small shipments, sometimes 500 or 600 quarters, direct to 

 London by the Union Castle boats. The meat has fetched an 

 average of 9d. to lid. per lb. for hindquarters, fores selling in 

 the usual corresponding ratio. In 1916 the export of frozen 

 meat from South Africa amounted to 17,687,121 lbs., valued 

 at £354,341. All this was beef ; there is no mutton going for- 

 ward. Of the above quantity 4,297,313 lbs., valued at £75,399, 

 went to the United Kingdom markets ; the remainder was for 

 Government contracts. These figures show a great advance 



