FEEDING AUSTRALIA.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 3038, 29 July 1893, Page 2

FEEDING AUSTRALIA.

In estimating his future prospects the New Zealand farmer has to take irto account, the probability of having to compete with the Australian producers who hare proved formidable rivals m some of our most promising industries. We have already pointed out that with regard to the dairy industry this colony ought to take a foremost place; but it seems by no means improbable that at no very distant date New Zealand will practically cease to be a grain exporting country. Judging from late quo tations, and from opinions expressed, by experts, we should say that m the frozen meat and pork and bacon trades the produce of this colony bids fair to take the leading position m the markets of the world. The Victorians have the best authority for believing that there is not much hope of their being able to establish an export trade m bacon. The experimental shipments they have hitherto made have turned out very badly, and unless they can effect a complete change m their breed of pigs they are assured the industry can never be a success. Of course this difficulty might be got over m time, but there is no immediate prospect of any serious competition m the pork and bacon trade coming from Australia. Now, therefore, is the opportunity for the New Zealand farmer to step m and create a trade which promises to becomt lucrative and extensive. The breeding of, pigs will go naturally with the expansion of the dairy industry, and it is evident that the increase of dairy factories, which is taking place throughout the colony, will be followed by an extension of the pig trade, fOl skim milk, etc., which would otherwise go to waste will certainly be turned into pork and bacon. With such nourishment L and generally fair treat ment a young pig will produce more live weight from a given weight of food than any other domestic animal. We learn from a farmer who has taken up the pig breeding industry m the neighborhood of Ashburton that he has made a profit of £6 odd on the produce of one Berkshire sow m nine months. And it is reasonable to suppose that this profit would have been still greater had there been the waste milk of a dairy or separator added to the food supply. We could not wish to see our rural population taking up rash and speculative enterprises, but we would urge them to make a determined effort to secure any trade connected with th 9 feeding of the Australian communities m which they are not likely to meet with serious or permanent competition. The production of butter, bacon, and hams, for example, cannot be carried on under even artificial conditions so successfully m Australia as m New Zealand. It therefore follows that at some future time this colony will have to supply the Australian population with these articles, unless some more enterprising producers succeed m taking the trade from us.