The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-11-29
MEAT PRICES DROP
Retailers Follow Slump in Live
stock Market.
Cost to Housewife Is Cut in
Topeka.
DECREASE OF FIFTY PER CENT
Just Where Prices VIII Stop
Cannot Be Told.
Pork LOin, ROasts and Chops
- Selling at % Cents.

The rock bottom prices which the
farmer is receiving for his cattle and
hogs, are being passed along. in some
degree at least, to the ultimate con-
sumner, the housewife who finally buys
the pork chops and the round steak.
Retail prices on meats have not fol-
lowed the drop nithe livestock market
as closely as they might have, it's
pointed out, because the packers claim
that the by-products of their slaugh-
tering operations have ceased to be IN
demand. and the price cuts of meat
must therefore bear an increased bur-
den.
Decrease of so Per Cent.
Nevertheless the prices on most Of
the popular meat cuts have decreased
in the past six weeks some 80 per
cent. in Topeka.
The decrease in the prices of beef
and pork have not been equal Beer
has been coming down slowly. The
greatest break in pork has come
within the past week.
Just where it will stop, and how
long the prices will remain where
they are, ToPeka retailers decline to
prophesy.
7 you can't tell anything about a
market like this" said Bert Green, of
the William Green & Sons Grocery
store, today. My personal opinion is
that things are going to get settled
down a little. and that then the market
will react"
Pork Chops Sell for % Cents.
Pork loin. roasts. chops, were being
sold today on the retail market in To-
peka for 25 cents a pound, which SIX
weeks ago were selling at so cents
a pound.
Round steak was 25 cents a pound
today 1t has been a very short time
since the identical cuts which were
bringing rs cents today were selling
for as cents a pound.
Sirloin steak has been steadily drop
ping in the market, and was selling
today for 80 cents as compared to
prices six weeks ago of 50 cents and
more a pound.
Boiling beef, one of the cheaper
cuts has not reflected. to so great an
extent the drop in the market. IL
formerly sold for IS cents pound,
and today the prevailing price was III
cents.
Cured Meat Not Coming Down.
Cured meats have not come down in
ANYTHING like the fashion in which the
fresh meat has tobogganed. The rea-
son is of course that the fresh meat
is bought. slaughtered and shipped
for immediate sale.
Topeka market today was bought
when high prices-not only Of i've
stock but of other accessories to the
curing process, were in force, and the
packers ana ueaieTS are ~
shoulder any loss on it themselves.
The cured meat is being passed on to
the public at the rate which the pack
ers and dealers had to pay.
Two Fold Reason.
The reason for the decline of fresh
meat is two-fold. local retailers say.
The packer who buys hogs and cattle
on the present low market doesn
dare attempt to stick a war price on
them 1t is only logical that the ire
mcndous slump in the price of the
raw material should be taken into
account when the price of the finished
article is set.
But there is another factor-the
General deflation of prices. which is
bringing all groceries and clothing
down. and which practically compels
the reduction of prices on meat.