PIG MARKETING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 143, 18 August 1941, Page 5

PIG MARKETING

PRIMARY PRODUCERS MEET

ANNUAL CONFERENCE!

Attended by the most representative gathering of primary producers yet seen in the Waikato, the ninth Annual Conference and meeting ofl the New Zealand Go-ioperative Pig Marketing Association in Hamilton was opened by the Minister of Marketing and Agriculture, the Hon. J. G. Barclay. In declaring the confer-* cnce open, the Minister said he had not come as a politician but as a re> presentative of the Government to seek the co-operation of producers, to meet them personally and to talk Ttver their difficulties.

In extending a welcome to tlio Minister and the delegates, the Chairman of Directors, Mr W. A. Phillips, said that the present life and death struggle had emphasised that the spirit of co-operation applied in its truest sense supplied the only solution to the evils of thtv competitive system, which to his mind had brought about the present conflict. After tracing the negotiations be-r t-ween Britain and New Zealand in regard to bacon pigs, Mr Barclay <?aid that as Regards baconers there was no indication that next season would be any different from the present season. The embargo still held good but the whole position of- the meat industry was at present tlvi subject "of negotiation. No one could blame Britain for importing baconers from America for it had to be remembered that it was a case of life and death to the Mother Country. The problem in New Zealand was that of having too much food* but surely it was nothing like 1 the problem of having insufficient food. The stage had been reached when producers would have to be askettf for planned production.

The Minister added that he thought the Pig Marketing Association aimed at organising the pig industry* on a co-operative basis just as the butter and cheese industry) had beerk organised. It was greatly to its credit that it was doing this, and the Government would like to see the Association continuing and expanding its activities.

A record turnover and an increase In the number of stock handled ire ?ach department of the Associationwas reviewed at the annual meeting In all, 110,156 pigs had been handled! during the season —an increase of 1810 pigs. A pleasing feature had been the fact thai the number sent In on consignment showed an increase of 9956. The increased percentage of pigs consigned through. Hie Association demonstrated the growing confidence of farmers in the real and fundamental objectives or the Association.

A total of 61 bobby calf pools hacfi {inkecl up with the Association's national marketing organisation, a record figure of 328,745 calves beiivs* handled for the 12 months and an Increase of 75,000 over the previous season. 4,394 cull cattle had been handled on consignment on behalf of suppliers, this figure showing an increase of 1,360 over the previous pear. In the three departments pigs, bobby calves and cull cattle--the Association handled a total of 143,295 carcases of an aggregate hook weight exceeding 26,000,0001b?. on behalf of dairy farmers throughout New Zealand.

The Income and Expenditure Account showed a gross turnover for the season of £609,754 Is lOd, which was the highest volume handled since the Association's inception nin& ago and represented an increase of £85,665 on last year's turnDyer. After deducting all expensed

from gross realisations and after providing the' usual share capital reserve of l/16d a lb on all pork supplied, there was a gross amount available for distribution on pigs cf £334,150 Is lOd, of which amount 6s 2d had already been distributed to suppliers of pigs by way of advance payments..

The sound financial position of the Association's subsidiary bacon companies, ' the Kiwi Bacon Company and Messrs Flutes, Ltd., Christchurch, was also indicated, the Kiw i Company's turnover being shown £183-361. The purchase of the Nikaii Bacon Company, Auckland, and the decision to remove the Association's offices from Hamilton to Auckland in the interests of greater centralisation and economy in administr.n live control were approved by the

neeting,

A lengthy list of remits was considered by the delegates, subjects of vital interest to the pig industry, being discussed.