Evening star., 1944-02-29
Beef and Pork
Ration Values
10 Drop Sunday
Reductions Ronee
From ! to ; Points
In Surprise Move
By the Associated Press.


Fewer ration points will be re-
quired for pork and many beef
cuts beginning Sunday.
The Office of Price Administration,
reporting a larger civilian allotment
OF meat available for March than
had been expected, announced the
good news for housewives today
The increased supplies are con-
fined to pork and beef. The point
values Of veal, lamb and mutton
cuts are not changed.
Butter will remain at 16 points
pound, and there is no change in
the present values of cheese, lard
and all other fats and dairy prod
ucts.
The War Food Administration
said the adjustment in ration values
is designed to help reduce stocks Of
meat which, together with other
periShables, are crowding cold stor-
age facilities.
Need Space for Butter.
This Is the season, it was ex-
planned, when space must be pro-
vided for the extra butter that will
be produced during the spring and
early summer. Additional room is
NEEDED also for eggs.
Civilian ALLEGATION of meats has
been increased by nearly 55O.OOO,-
600 pounds for the January March
quarter. Some of this extra allo-
cation already has moved to con-
Sumers under the special pork ration
coupons, but much of it still remains
in storage.
Only the values of spare ribs are
unaffected in general reduction
of pork points. The cuts range from
one to three points, bringing the
average ration value of pork down
to IL points a pound. Beef cuts
used for roasts, rib steaks and stews
are also reduced.
The point value of canned and
ready -to-eat beef and pork items are
reduced from l to 4 points, while
many variety meats and some types
OF sausage also are decreased in
ration cost.
Reductions Are Surprise.
| The reductions came as surprise
since the OPA had indicated that
point values would be boosted
steadily during the next few
months.
The lower meat point values
make full allowance to the house
wife" said Price Administrator
Chester Bowles, for the fact that
with ration stamps now to be worth
10 points each, she gets one red
point week less to spend.
"A large share of the meat avail
able to civilians during March will
be pork-in fact, pork will make up
more than half of the month s
total meat supply"
Mr.. Bowles said the amount of
pork which will be produced during
the first two or three weeks of
March may be at record breaking
levels for this time of year."
More Beef Soon.
In the case of beef, too. we expect
to have somewhat more in March
than during February Mr.. Bowles
said. Beef is, of course, much less
plentiful than pork, but the small
anticipated increase enables us to
reduce point values on some cuts"
The overall average ration value
OF meat in March will be AZ points a
pound as compared with an average
OF approximately 5 points this
month.
The revision of meat values takes
into account that from now on each
individual will have so red points to
spend each month on rationed
meats and fats, or 4 points less than
in the past.
The OPA estimated that. not
Withstanding this reduction in the
number Of points, the meat ration in
March will be approximately 8 per
cent greater than in February.
$50 Million Pounds of Pork.
The retail supply of pork during
March is expected to be about ESQ.,
100000 pounds, OPA said, or more
than half the months total of
rationed meats. There will be about
) per cent more beef than the
43O, ,000, 900 pounds available this
month, it was estimated.
The new point value chart lists
most popular bacon cuts at one
point pound, down two and three
points from February. Canadian ba-
con Is reduced four points, from
nine to five points pound
Most pork roasts are cut two
points, with loin roasts, for example,
being listed at three points pound,
down two. Most pork steaks and
chops are reduced two points, while
knuckles, jowls, and plates are given
a zero rating.
Among the beef cuts, both the
lO-lnch and the seven-inch rib
roaSts are reduced one point, being
listed at six and seven points. re-
spectively. Chuck roasts are reduced
one point and all beef cuts gen.
orally used for making stews. with
the exception of boneless heel of
round, are reduced one to two
points.
For many canned meats values
are cut two points a pound. Deviled
ham and tongue, for example, will
cost four points as against six at
present.
In maintaining present values
on butter. lard and dairy products,
OPA said that consumer demands
had just about equaled the civilian
ALLEGATION of these products during
February, thus making it unnec-
essary to revise point values for
March"
The March butter ALLEGATION is
not great enough. to allow a point
value reduction" the agency said.
Slightly Colder Weather