Evening star., 1948-09-30
Prices on Meat
Down Few Gents
In Most Stores
SirIoin Steak SIushed
16c by One Chain;
Margarine Drops

Meat prices dropped sharply in
several retail markets here today.
One large chain store cut the price
of its sirloin steaks l6 cents a pound
from week ago and reduced porter
house and round steaks 10 cents.
While trade sources were not in
clined to predict that lower meat
for the chain organization said in
formation from Chicago indicated
wholesale beef prices next week
would drop IL to cents pound
and pork prices would go down to 4
cents. Lamb and veal may go up
slightly, he said.
Top-grade Sirloin was selling at 80
cents today in the chain that re-
ported the 16-cent cut. PorterhouSe
and round steak were reduced from
$109 to SO cents. Another large
chain quoted top sirloin at 95 cents,
3 cents lower than last week. A
nearby supermarket listed Sirloin at
83 cents and porterhouSe at SO cents,
a drop of several cents in each
instance.
Chuck roast prices remained about
the same. In one cham store which
sold 1t at 67 cents last week the
price today was back to SO, the level
of two weeks earlier.
The Agriculture Department re-
ported last night that farm prices
between August IS and September
Is declined an average of per cent.
During the 30-day period, the de-
partment said, prices of most grains,
most meat animals, butterfat and
cottonSeed continued declines OF a
month earlier. But most OF the
decreases were relatively small and
we're partially offset by modest in
creaseS in some other commodities.
The drop in retail butter prices
here this week has been followed by
a decrease Of from 2 to cents a
pound in margarine, retailers dis
closed. Margarine is now selling as
low as 81 cents pound, while top
grade butter is Is cents.
Egg Prices Still High.
Eggs continued at high level,
with the chain-store price at "a and
IS cents a dozen for grade A.
One large store reported chicken
prices down cents pound.
At Saranac Inn, N. Y, according
to the Associated Press, the presi-
dent Of the New York State Food
Merchants Association said prices
have reached their peak and will
gradually come down"
And Commerce Department
spokesman said reduced export de-
mands and record breaking farm
crops in the United States may work
to reduce prices before many
months"
Early in the week top-grade butter
sold fS 64l2 cents pound on the
Chicago Mercantile EXchange-the
lowest point in Is months. Retailers
in the area cut their prices, TOO,
bringing the cost of pound to the
lowest point this year and cents
below a year ago. In New York
top grade butter sold at Sc cents a
pound Wholesale drop OF 10 cents
in eight days, before it turned up
ward again.
Meat Production Up.
The Agriculture Department an
nounced that meat production by
federally inspected plants last week
was the biggest since mid-June. AT
292 100000 pounds, it was up per
cent from the preceding week and
per cent higher than year ago
The downward trend OF food prices
generally is reflected in the Dun d
Bradstreet wholesale food price in
dex. The index represents the cost
of a pound of each of 81 FOODS IN
general use. From $682, a week ago, .
it dropped to $670 this week, bring
ing it close to the low point for the
year on March 9. The index has
slumped 25 cents in the last two
weeks and &c cents from the July l3
high. I
The Associated Press food index
is down to 1873 from 1908 Wsek
ago. and the livestock index is at
258.1S compared with 26O.50 a week
ago.