THE PORK HOLD-UP

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 25, 29 July 1926, Page 19

THE PORK HOLD-UP

EMBARGO REACTING ON BACON

CiOOD OPENING FOR OTHER MEAT.

In a. recent. Press communique, the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board drew attention to the embargo recently announced by the Imperial Government on all iresli meat from the Continent of Europe. In a further report received from the board's London manager by the last English mail, he writes as follows:— ''Owing to general outbreaks of foot and | mouth disease in Scotland, which had been definitely traced to pigs from Holland and Belgium, which had been .sent to several curing establishments in Scotland, the British Government has announced a definite embargo on all fresh meat from the Continent of Europe. This will definitely prohibit the importation of Dutch pork, beef, veal, and mutton, and also all importations of Danish \real and pork. EXCLUSION OF 50,000 TONS. "I understand the imports for last year were in the neighbourhood of 50,000 tons from these sources, the bulk of which was, of course, pork. The bulk of these Continental imports go through Smithfiekl market, and I notjeo from the Smithfield figures for 1925 that the quantities from Holland and Denmark were:— "Pork: Holland, 32450 tons'; Denmark, 2039 tons; total, 34489 tojis. "Beef and veal (mostly veal): Holland, 5274 tons; Denmark, 2111 tons; total, 10,----4J5 taps. "Mutton and lamb: Holland, 6296 tons; Denmark, 66 tons; total, 6362 tons. "It is, of course, impossible to indicate for how long'-this embargo will last, but it looks like remaining for some considerable time, perhaps for a year or two. I see the British Minister of .Agriculture isaid that there were over 31,000 outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in Holland, and I do not think .the £rabar«o will be lifted I until the disease is stamped out completely on the Continent. DOES NOT APPLY TO BACON. '■The embargo does not apply to cured bacon, lard, or meat essences. I expect that the fresh pork which usually comes to Britain will now be converted into bacon in Holland, and I understand the bacon market is inclined to be weak since the prohibition was announced. There has been a considerable inquiry for Uew Zealand bacon pigs owing to this announcement, but I am doubtful whether the price for these will advance very much, as the price of bacon will be kept In check by the increased supplies of bacon that will come forward from Holland and Denmark. "I am inclined to think that our consumption of mutton and lamb will be helped by the embargo, as this deficiency of 50,000 tons of fresh meat will have to be made up from some source, and I think a portion of this demand can be diverted to frozen mutton and lamb. As is usual in summer time, the consumption of fresh pork js smaller just at present than at other times of the year." .