EGG MARKETING.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 244, 15 October 1929, Page 9

EGG MARKETING.

PROBLEMS OF INDUSTRY.

DEMONSTRATION FOR SUPPLIERS

The; fruit auction room of Messrs. Turners and Growers, Limited, transformed into a concert chamber and supper hall, bore an animated appearance last evening, on the occasion of a social demonstration on the lastest method of testing and grading eggs for market, arranged by the firm for the benefit of a large number of egg suppliers. Mr. Harvey Turner, who presided, referred to the problems of the poultry keepers, who, with a perishable commodity, had to face the questions of over production or bad market. Many people did not take these points into consideration in connection with the law of supply and demand. If there was an increase in prices-there had to be reduced supply, as the over-cost of production affected the producer materially. Export was a a valuable outlet, but another necessity was the improving of marketing, and it was essential to help' the producer to realise this. Very vital was the price of feed, and in this connection northern poultry keepers were at a disadvantage owing to the sliding scale of the tariff which maintained the price of imported wheat to a South Island parity. He believed in tariffs up to a certain point, but .thought that this was overdone, especially between Australia and ISTew Zealand. It was a good thing to have a freer market for an exchange of products in adjacent countries in times of glut. Regarding wheat, he hoped some way would be found to relieve North Island poultry keepers from a method of tariff which benefited a comparative few in the south. There should be a mass'' meeting of the industry in the north to put the matter squarely before 1 local politicians in order to get the Government to act. The speaker went on to refer to the value of pulping, but said it all came back to the price of feed. This had to be. taken in conjunction with better marketing, and the firm was doing what it could to help the situation. It had started grading and testing, and in the case of the former was now lowering the price to one farthing per dozen for this work. All eggs would not be. tested, but only in cases where some check was necessary. After referring to the value of grading generally in the interests of producers, buyers and consumers, Mr. Turner also mentioned what had been done in the provision of standardised crates for the use of suppliers and customers. He also stressed the value of advertising, particularly when eggs were plentiful. This was a suggestion which the Egg Producers' Association should consider. Messrs. F. Wells and E. J. Bright were elected by the meeting as a committee to consult with the firm regarding pulping periods which would- help producers. After an instructive demonstration of grading on the new machines and iesting, the suppliers enjoyed a generous supper and a vote of thanks was passed. In seconding this, Mr. E.. C. Jarrett. Government grader, congratulated the firm upon its enterprise and mentioned that in Canada, the only country in the world where grading was compulsory, the consumption of eggs was 337 per year per person, whilst in the U.S.A. the consumption was 180 per person.