PRICE OF EGGS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16210, 13 May 1918, Page 4

PRICE OF EGGS.

EFFECTS OF THE WAR

POULTRY-KEEPERS' POINT OF VIEW. The price of the breakfast egg has reached 3s S<l per dozen retail, and some producers feel warranted in the belief thnt it will go to 4s. To-day, on the contrary, the situation is easier, and 3? 3d is about the figure, and the wholesale quotation 3s (says Saturday's Wellington '"Post"). It is dear enough, virtually Hid for an egg, although as a breakfast relish it may. even at that price, be no than some of its table competitors. The opinion of some authorities well versed in the trade is that the 4s mark v.-iH not br» attained, but that the market has an easier tendency. The fall from 3s 8d or 3s 9d per dozen to 3s 3d confirms this view. This time la<st year ihe> wholesale rate was 2s 9d, in 191(5 2s 6d, and in 1915 2s 3d. There has been a marked advance in the Di'ico of eggs since the war, as every housekeeper knows. ]t is not due to a "go-slow'" policy on the part of the hens or to any concerted profiteering : action on their part. Two factors have | been at work to place the egg as an article of food in the category of luxuries: (1) reduction of stocks, and (2) enhanced price of foodstuffs. One authority said the percentage of cockerels hatched hail been -unusually large. Here the influence of Mars may have been set at work in hendom during thsso war years; but the fact that the poultry sales, notwithstanding the high price of eggs, are so large as to fowls, even puliets —and especially in Auckland is this noticeable—would indicate that, for all the profit there may be in eggs at 3s per dozen wholesale, po:il-txv-kecpers nre quite ready to reduce the numbers of their birds. Poultry

farming as n commercial proposition is a very different thing from running a few fowls to some extent on the scraps of the house, plus any odd insects that happen along, and a handful or so of wheat as a luxury. Poultry farming calls for brains as well as unremitting industry, also f-apital. Co-operation of producers has boon effectual so far in establishing a stabler market, and no doubt prevented the cheapening of eggs by some producer more needy than his fellows rushing in with a little lot at a price penco per dozen under tho quotations of his competitors.

THE KING AXD THE CIRCLE. It is not, however, easy to establish the fact that there is an egg ring which is responsible for the very high prices that nave been recently charged for eggs, and the still stiff retail figure of 3s 3d to 3.=T<J(l of to-day, although there arc egg circles. Mismanagement, and not actual increased production costs, may in some cases account for the narrow margin of profit, even at 3s 3d, returned to the producer. Of course, in such a case the returns to the smart, business-like producer would be better, the reward of his superiority of management. Coming to the pricc of foodstuffs for potiltrv, the following comparisons speak for themselves. They are wholesale Wellington rates as at the. first week in Slay, 1918 and 1917: —

Bran and pollard arc described in the parlance of the trade as "practically unprocurable." The value of the egg as food requires no sermon or advertisement. Body and soul may be kept alive -without it, but it is certainly a most necessary article ol diet l>v itself and in combination with other "foods. Jt is held by several authorities on the subject who have been consulted by the "Post" that New Zealand does not produce eggs enough to meet the country's pressing need. If anything, it is to-day producing less. California has supplied from the famous Petatuma country at 20 cents, or _10d, per dozen free on board San Francisco. These eggs have been reported on as arriving in New Zealand in excellent condition. Current rates of freight now put thorn out of court; but tbev carried well in cool chambers, and were expertly packed. Although New Zealand exported 2312 dozen eggs in 1916 (the latest figures), this country imported 53,038 dozen the same year from tho United States (47,850 dozen) and China and Hongkong (probably Chinese "delicacies" rather too pungent lor the Western palate). Tn addition, eggs in a form not suitable for the table —

liquid desiccated —came from "Russia, China. Australia, and the United Kingdom to tho. weight of 14-1.786 pounds, and represented a value of £4098. THE FOREIGN EGG. The New Zealand egg iarmor is not unkindly treated by the Government in the matter of protection through tho Customs,, for tuere is a duty oi 20 per cent, on imported eggs, and an additional 10 per cent, u tliose eggs come from countries other than British. There are sundry other things in the form of branding and other ways that make tiio entrance of ovor.sea eggs rather difficult. But for all that, foreign eggs come in, although with the scarcity of cargo space for them, and the very high freight rates, thoy are not likeiy to be formidable compe-

titors for some time to come. In the meantime, tho liens of New Zealand are a diminishing quantity. In Aus-

ralia eggs are moro plentiful than

here, judging by the following prices received by last mail:—Adelaide, Is od to Is Gd: Melbourne, Is Sd to Is 9d; Sydney, extra special, 2s 6d to 2s Bd, new laid Is lOd to 2s; others, less.

Freight and duty charges put Sydney out of court ; there is only a three-

weekly service to-Melbourne, and more direct to Adelnide. So that relief

Tom Australia is hardiy to bo looked or.

The egg problem of New Zealand is an exceedingly difficult one, and the only gleam of satisfaction at the moment is that prices have eased, and may go a little lower yet.

It hns been pointed out to the

"Post," on beh.alf of the poultrymen, that to-day supplies are ratliQr niore plentiful than the.v wore .a week or two ago. being augmented by supplies of preserved e>2gs used for* cooking purposes. "GOING IX" FOR THE BUSINESS. Poii 1 try-keepers say they havo felt the .'-itcicts of war condition as much as any section of the community. Anyoiio wlio is not afraid of work, who has «iiliicient capital, and a natural aptitude for poultry-keeping, can make a steady income by keeping laying birds. The rirst six months would give the beginner only a comparatively small ieturn, but within a year a practical man snould "be in receipt of a reasonable remuneration for his work. The capital required to ensure a reasonable incomo would be between £600 and £700, which sum would require to be spent in stock and buildings, etc. The beginner would also require, of course, to provide for household accommodation and expenses. Unless one is able

to take over buildings already erectcd, the cost of building at present is very high. _ In addition to the high price of building material, poultry-keepers have to contend with the high price of feed. The operation of the Military Service Act, too, is forcing a number of poultryjuen out of business. A few months bark wheat was very scarce, and So '-' D 6 at extreme prices. In view of the shortage in New Zealand, it will probably be still necessary to import from Australia. Pollard and bran, which are largely used by poul-try-keepers, are a.most unprocurable, and more expensive substitutes have to be It is recommended bv those j n touch with the business, that the importation of pollard and bran from

Australia should be permitted. Other lines of. feed required by poultrymen are also high ill price. ROOM FOR INCREASE.

Taking everything into considcration, anyone with tiie nocossarv capital and abiiity can make a fair living in keeping poultry, but- there is no royal road to fortune in the business. There is room for a considerable increase in production if poultrymen f-in 5a encouraged to keep larger Socks by securing feed at moderate rates. With proper safeguards, poultry-keeping offers reasonable prospects to returned soldiers who can arrange the necessary finance.

Consumers, it is pointe3 out can to a certain extent protect their own interests by buying eggs when supplies are most plentiful, and preserving them thus reducing the demand for guaranteed new-laid when prices are at their maximum.

Consumers can, of course, do more, as a merchant pointed out some weeks ■ISO. They can stop buying eggs for a week, and thus bring down the price. But all the time people can bo found to pay 3d. Sid, and 4d for ono 'A. 1S °"'r v reason: ible to suppose that the poultry farmer will accept the situation of famine prices for eggs.

Iff].?. 1918. ' £ s. d. £ s. d. Maize, per lmshol 0 5 6 T/lto-7/3 AVheai, per bushel 0 6 0 0 7 3 Tolhird, per ton ... 7 10 0 ]0 0 0 Bran, per ton ... 5 7 0 7 10 0