FROZEN PORK

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 166, 10 April 1926, Page 12

FROZEN PORK

BRITAIN WANTS BACON NEW ZEALAND SHOULD CULTIVATE THIS MARKET Realising the possibilities of the pork industry to the producers of the Dominion,' the New Zealand Farmers’ Union has just issued the following circular to its branches: — In order to feed her many millions Britain is a very heavy purchaser of surplus food stuffs all over the world. During. the year which ended on December 31 last, she imported from all supplying countries: (a) Dairy produce worth £6B 927,756 (h) Bacon and pork worth £51.804.868 (c) Frozen beef, mutton and lamb worth £30.980.556 During 1925 Britain imported bacon to the value of £12,239,817. The principal suppliers of this huge amount were: Denmark: 3.758,834 cwt., worth™. £22,163,854 U.S.A.: 1,490,394 cwt., worth £7,472,307 Canada; 1,266,861 cwt., worth £6,843,787 Irish Free State: 461,548 cwt., worth £2.924,601 Other countries: 528,983 cwt., worth £2.825.268 Owing to the length of the sea journey to the principal bacon market in the world, New Zealand-cured bacon and hams would not arrive in saleable condition, and, therefore, are not exported 7 in that form to Britain. In lieu of cured ham and bacon our contribution to the Englishman’s breakfast is frozen pork which can be cured, if necessary, by English curers to suit the various palates of consumers. Last year 700 cwt. of bacon worth £3990 were exported from New Zealand, mainly to the South Sea Islands, and 3500 cwt. of hams, worth £21,408, were exported, mainly to Australia. A small shipment of 65cwt., worth £403, was sent to Britain. A much bigger share of Britain’s bacon and pork prize of £51,804,000 should be aimed at by the of the Dominion for last year the Dominion received about £167,000. Owing to our geographical • position this can only be accomplished by greatly increasing our export of frozen pork. During 1925 Britain imported frozen pork to the value of £1,021,585, but most of this was paid to producers in U.S.A, and Argentine. This Dominion exported 40,300 cwt. to the Mother Country worth approximately £l-16,180. Concessions for Growers and Exporters. In order to help to develop our frozen pork ' industry the Meat Producers’ Board has secured the following concessions for growers and exporters:— (a) Freight rates to the United Kingdom were reduced from l-|d. plus 2} per cent, to Id. net per lb.—a 40 per cent, reduction. As a direct result the exports rose from 536,0321 b. in 1922-23 season to 3,069,6961 b for the same period a year later—an increase of 472 per cent. (b) This was further reduced to ?d. a lb.—a particularly low freight. (c) In 1922 the board secured a 20 per cent, reduction on railway freights, whilst under the recently revised railway tariff a 7} per cent, preference has been obtained for live pigs as compared with rates for other live' stock. (d) A reduction in freezing charges of .33d. per lb. (e) Special consideration is given by the board to all applications for shipping space required for pork. It has been calculated that the money equivalent of all the concessions obtained by the Meat Producers’ Board is annroximatelv 9s. 6d. per carcass, of 901 b. In order to advertise the good quality of our pork, the Meat Producers’ Board recently distributed a number of carcasses • amongst twentv of the leading bacon curers of Britain for conversion into bacon. Most of the curers expressed a verv favourable opinion of the quahtv of our bacon-pig, and several of those who tried the curing experiment have decided to buy largely when our pork arrives on the English market. Once the firms at Home can defrost our pork better, there will be a much mote extensive market for our frozen pork for curing, purposes, provided, of course, that in addition our supplies can be made more regular. Last year the Meat Producers’ Board made a trial consignment of frozen pigs to Genoa, but, although the quality was deemed good, the pigs were too light for Italian buyers.