MONEY IN DUCKS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 297, 15 December 1936, Page 5

MONEY IN DUCKS.

SUPPLIES IN DEMAND.

THOUSANDS FOR CORONATION

LARGE OVERSEAS MARKET. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, December 12. At Matroville lives Mr. R. A. Rhodes, who owns the largest duck farm in New South Wales. At present his holding carries 18,000 ducks, ranging from one day to three months in age. This army might seem large enough for most poultry farmers to manage, but not for Mr. Rhodes. He is going to increase his farm to nine acres, so as to keep pace with the heavy demand for his. products. Not long ago Mr. Rhodes was asked whether he could supply 70,000 ducks in one order—of course, for Britain —but he was regretfully obliged to decline. However, he got one order for 30,000 dueks for the Coronation festivities. There is no doubt that a very large market is opening abroad for Australian ducks. Ceylon has been inquiring about large regular supplies, and four tons of ducks are to be sent to Germany this month. So Mr. Rhodes thinks the outlook for duck exporters is very promising now, and as he started out on his career 14 years ago with only 30 head, he must know a great deal about the ups and downs of the trade.

Order For Ducklings. The Aylesbury duck is ready for export at 12 weeks, but the Muscovy duck takes 10 weeks to fatten and prepare for the market. Naturally Mr. Rhodes is compelled to handle his stock on rather a large scale. For instance, he has entered into a contract with a Sutherland breeder for the supply of fiOOO three weeks old ducklings at £45 per 1000. He fattens them, and when they are ready for the market he can sell them to the wholesale dealers at 6/6 a pair. Yes, there certainly seems to be money i:i ducks, but of acres of ducks, with orders for 30,000, or even 70,000, looming in the near distance, should present difficult problems in organisation, management and finance, and in spite of its attractive record, this industry is evidently not one into which the inexperienced should venture rashly.