The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 1932. THE PIG INDUSTRY.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume LV, Issue 5651, 26 January 1932, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 1932. THE PIG INDUSTRY.

For many years it has been eviden that New Zealand's Pork Industr has been mismanaged to the last d* gree. The farmer has fallen a victir to vested interests controling th market. "The Neiw Zealand Dairj man," in an article on the subjec' sitates that the Government are t blame for the state of the Pork mai ket, and should subsidise the exp-orl The position is, that New Zealan farmers milk one and a half millio cows and rear half a million pigj that is, one pig to three cows. Den mark on the contrary milks two mill ion cows, and rears six million pigi j that is, three pigs- to one cow. Th • j sale of her pork is the salvat jon o I the Danish diairy industry, and' ther • j.seems no reason why New Zealani j should not :iollfow hei; exa'mple.' - TH jpork raised in New Zealand eoul not be absorbed in New Zealand, anthe question is how to get it in th (British market with profit to th producer. "The Dairyman" suggest - a levy of %d. per lib. on all pig slaughtered which would pay a bonu of 2d. par lb. on f'l cxport'i Thei-o. is no doubt thnt all section of the community have been livin! comfortably with too little effort fo some fifteen or .sixteen years, and th dairy farmer has Ibeen able to do wel without troubling to rear pigs o make any other use of the, by-produc of his milk. Those easy days, are ove and if the farmer wants to make hi land pay he must get the full amoun out of all sections of his farm pro diucts, and "The Dairyman" stvesse the point that the pig should be i very important adjunct to the dairy farmers returns. The placing of on export pork on the British market is not going to ibe an easy matter, a other countries have their regula supplies, but the matter should b' taken in hand-at f once. The loca market is very unsatisfactory. Whei a farmer goes to buy weaner pigs ii the early spring .when his cows comi into profit the price is -very high ant when he comes to sell his fat porkeri •the price falls away to a' minimum It is evident that yes-ted interest; control the market. With a regulai export the indus try would' be placet on a commercial basis and some millions of extra money would come intt the Dominion. In a recent and high' ly interesting report from London Mr Eliot R. Davis, of Auckland, whc takes 3. 'keen interest in the New Zealand pig industry and is fully alivt to its great "possibilities, gives a comprehensive description of the methods employed' by the Danish farmer. In New Zealand we have the same facilities, indeed we have greater advantages in many ways. The New Zealand '■Co-operative Pig Marketing Association, and it's energetic Chairman of Directors, 'Mr W>. A. Phillips, have for a long time been trying to rouse the Government to a senae of responsibility. But nothing of a practical nature has been -achieved , so far. We have given up all hope of any Government help or .subsidy. At a time such as the present, the producers must learn to help themselves.' A levy and export (bounty afford the means, and no Government would dare to refuse its. sanction to such a scheme if put forward with anything like unanimity by the industry. •In making such a scheme its definite objective, the Nejw Zealand- Co-oper-ative Pig 'Marketing Association, or any other organisation, would render an inestimable service to the New Zealand pig industry.