The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-02-17
MEAT GOES BEGGING
IN EUROPE; PRICES
MUST DECLINE HERE

meat packing, has seen its export
trade dwindle to the vanishing point
since the great drop In foreign ex-
change, so the Institute Of American
Meat Packers announced yesterday.
Europe is taking no more pork reef
exports ceased some time ago. Meat
products are backing up upon the
home market. Wholesale prices have
been sliding downward. and soon, the
experts predict, they will be adequate
" reflected In retail charges and
throw a crimp into high cost of living.
In survey Of the situation abroad
the institute statisticians estimate
there are about 275, 000, 900 pounds of
bacon In the United Kingdom and
afloat, In the hands of the British min.
istry Of foods
At the present rate Of consumption
this Is equivalent to nearly seven
months supply. Besides this stock it
is estimated England is receiving sup
plies of English, Irish, Canadian and
Danish bacon nearly adequate to pres.
ent consumption.
In France American sales Of pork
have stopped entirely during the last
week or two, while in Belgium sales
have been light, few boxes Of meats
weekly here and there. With Italy
there has been y meat business for
some time, the institute says.
In Holland sales have ceased almost
entirely. In some quarters the return
to America Of lard and boxed pork now
in Holland has been recommended.
Russia Not Customer.
The decision Of the allied council
allowing the Russian cooperative So
cieties to import was expected to en-.
able consignments at Scandinavian
points to be sold for shipment into
Russia. but packing agents at Copen.
hagen have cabled the situation is I'M
changed and no American boxed
meats or lard are moving out Of Scan
dinavia.
As to Germany, the institute reports
that agents Of American packers who
have meat there are unable to sell 1t
and have put 1t into cold storage be-
cause the German government is I'M
able to pay for purchases In accept.
able currency.
Wholesale meat prices have been
tumbling for considerably time, but
so far they have not been reflected
protionately in retail prices. Since
the week ending July 26, 1919, some
representative pork prices have drop
ped as follows:
Hams, Ia pounds, loose, about ..2S%
Bellies, ~ pounds, loose, .......17%
| Pork loins NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. ..30%
Edt Ddcks' ...... ............... 4ITo
P. S. lard, tierced ..41To
Retail Prices Vary Widely
AS to retail prices, it Is next to i'm
possible to estimate how much actual
| reduction has been made. Prices fluc.
tuaate widely according to districts
and cities.
Generally speaking, however, It ap-
pears that since Nov. Fl there has
been a fall of some 10 per cent on pork
chops, spare ribs. and lard. Standard
bacon has fallen per cent, white the
i maximum charge on the fair price list
: for hams is just about what it was
Nov. 81.
mated there are about 2A per cent
fewer hogs on the farms than a year
ago. Last year, however, was higher
than usual, so the available supply Is
above normal, while the foreign de.
ymand has stopped.
"It'n be tough on the farmers" a
farmer said yesterday. When you
feed 81 corn to hogs you've got to get a
certain price to break even. A neigh.
Dor Of mine sent carload to the stock.
yards a week ago and found the quo.
tations so low he sent his hogs back to
the farp-otherwise he'd have taken
an actual loss.
Some of the stock raised on $15C
corn will probably be along after a
while, and on this the reduced prices
won't mean such loss. But, believe
me, when the hog market tumbles
farming isn't any joy ride in a twin
six car for the farmer.
what keeps retail prices up? Out
in the country we're beginning to see
that producer and consumer have in
terests in common. What they need
to do is to get closer together-more
money for the farmer; lower charges
for the city men,"