Pig Farmer Opposes Meatless Days

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31768, 27 August 1968, Page 18

Pig Farmer Opposes Meatless Days

A suggestion that New Zealand should limit domestic consumption of meat by having meatless days was attacked at a meeting of Canterbury pig producers last evening.

Mr S. Meyer, of Springston, chairman of the Canterbury Pig Producers’ Committee said he was disturbed to read that Mr P. Blomfield, technical director of Potash (N.Z.), Ltd, had suggested such a move at the annual conference of the New Zealand Institute of Agricultural Science. “We have a product which we have had difficulty in getting over to the public in the last 18 months and I protest when someone in a responsible position is able to make a statement like this,” Mr Meyer said. “The housewife fails to realise that pork is as cheap as beef, in some instances cheaper, yet it is classed as a luxury item like poultry. “I agree that we should try to limit the beef consumption on the local market in an

effort to gain more export earnings, but there is no need to have meatless days to achieve that,” Mr Meyer said. Mr C. Foster, of Temuka, a member of the New Zealand Pig Council, said there had been an increase in pork sales in Dunedin in recent weeks and that pork prices there were as low as 34c to 37c per lb. The meeting discussed promotion of sales of pigmeat and a report on the national conference of pig producers which had discussed marketing. “I don’t think many producers would object to an additional 2c levy on each animal killed to go towards a promotion programme,” said Mr H. Ashton, of Ashburton. The committee will tell the national council that a report on the pig Industry by Professor B. P. Philpott, professor of agricultural economics at Lincoln College, should be proceeded with. The annual conference of the council decided to postpone Professor Philpott’s investigation on the grounds that it would take 18 months to complete. “We will be no further ahead in 18 months than we are at present and Professor Philpott’s report would be an ideal place at which to start an improvement in marketing,” said Mr A. E. Williams, of Ohoka. Mr Foster reported that a committee comprising six trade and six producer representatives with the DirectorGeneral of Agriculture as chairman, had been established to study marketing.