The Washington herald., 1921-09-09
BEEF PRIeEDOWN
LOWER THAN FOR
LAST FIVE YEARS
Decline Is Heaviest Dur.
ing Latter Part of
August.
DEMAND FALLS OFF
Chicago Receives 17% More
Hogs Than in the Same
Month of 1920.

The meat trade showed general
declines in the last of August and
the average wholesale price Of car
cass beef throughout the East
dropped to the lowest level reach
ed in the last FIVE years. This is
the summary Of the situation made
by the Institute of American Meat
Packers.
1t is pointed out that tht demand
heia UP we'll until the last week
of the month. when an excessive
supply broke the market. A fea-
ture of the trade was an increase
in the export Of lard and the de-
crease of 34.5oO.0o0 pounds in
stocks at Chicago. Export trade
generally showed greater volume to
Continental Europe than to the
United Kingdom.
Wholesale Prices Down.
One striking feature Of the
meat situation during last month
was the steady decline in the
wholesale price of dressed beef,
says the institute. IAN excessive
supply Of grass fed cattle develop
ed during the latter part of the
month with the consequence that
the supply of the corresponding
class of beef was considerably in
excess Of the demand. As a re-
suit both cattle prices and beef
prices decreased. In fact. during
the third and fourth weeks of
August, in Eastern markets. the
packers could not clear their
branch house coolers Of tn dressed
beef on hand even at the reduced
prices. Fancy beef from choice
corn-fed cattle. however, showed no
such decline.
MANY consumers. both in the
East and in the West. have turned
to the forequarter cuts. Same
beef experts attribute this to the
season Of the year and to the de-
mand from the harvest fields
Others venture the opinion tina,
'ths public has at last discovered
the economy and palatability oi
forequarter meats.
The market for hides and fats
has remained practically unchang-
I'd. The demand has been only
fair.
There was a good trade in
dressed lamb and mutton until the
last week Of the month. when ar
rversupply. exceeding trade require
ments. caused some congestion ant
lower prices for lamb. both alive anC
dressed. Western range lambs are
now running freely, and the pric'
decline toward the end of the month
is hardly to be considered unusua
for this season of the year.
There was a very large expor'
trade in lard during August. The
trade during the month was thu
largest for any month this year. AND
also the largest during August fol
n considerable period. Lard stock:
at Chicago decreased by approx
mateIy 34.5o0.o00 pounds during
the month. the largest August de
crease which provision experts ar,
able TO recall. Fat backs were II
the bacon cut. were sought in fail
volumes.
THE export trade with Cont
mental Europe showed more strength
than that with the United Kingdom
The English demand for both meat.
and lard slackened considerably.
FIuctuation In Lard.
"At one time in August lard de.
cIined substantially but rallied
again. however. Desp te the vIgor'
Ous export trade lard was selling &
little lower at the end of the month
than at the beginning.
in the domestic trade smoked
meats were slightly lower at whole
sale than they were at the begin.
Mag Of August Hams and shoul.
dets declined more than bacon, bu'
stapdard breakfast bacon is still
selling considerably lower thar
hams Of the same grade. Light
polk loins are scarce and show lit.
tie, change in prices. Heavy loin.
ara lower, with the result that the
spfead in price between light anC
hetvy loins has widened. On tn,
WHOLE. fresh pork trade has beer
rather slow. partly on account Of the
hoe weather in the East. Dry salt
mo ats are relatively cheap.
SReceipts OF hogs at Chicago dur.
ing August were approximately Il
peg cent larger than during August
1890 The price Of live hor. IA.