BACONERS FAVOURED

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 9, 10 July 1935, Page 6

BACONERS FAVOURED

RATHER THAW PORKERS

MEAT BOARD'S ADVICE

Farmers who are producing pigs for export are advised by the New Zealand Meat Producers' Board to convert as large a percentage of pigs as possible into the baconer class instead of killing them as porkers. In a circular issued last evening the board stated it could not be too frequently emphasised that the trade in Great Britain absorbed only about 50,000 tons of imported porkers as against over 400,000 tons of bacon hams and baconers equivalent to approximately 550,000 tons baconer pigs. It would.be seen, therefore, that the imported baconer trade into the United Kingdom was a'pproxi- ■ mately eleven times more than the imported porker trade. "New Zealand's share of this baconer trade is relatively insignificant, whereas her share of- the imported porker trade is substantial," the circular continued. "With quotas being fixed by the United- Kingdom Government as to the quantities of the various classes which may be imported into Great Britain, this is an aspect of the position that farmers must not overlook, and they should therefore make their arrangements to convert as large a percentage of pigs into the baconer class as they possibly can. "The New Zealand Government and the Meat Board have been successful in obtaining an adequate quota for New Zealand baconers -for arrival in the United Kingdom during the calendar year 1935, the quantity fixed for this period of twelve months being 12,500 tons. Needless to say, it is most important that this quota be filled, having regard to the future." An examination of. the following figures showing the killings for export in the Dominion of porkers and baconers respectively for past seasons, shows that recently the increase in baconers over the previous season has represented a higher percentage than has been the case with porkers. This is considered satisfactory so far as it goes, but a still greater "swing-over" from porkers to baconers is required. Details of killings for export in terms of carcasses are:— Season. Porkers. Baconers. 1925-26 28,819 21,184 1926-27 .... 45,147 29,486 1927-28 118,551; 29,050 1928-29 115,996 43,301 1929-30 .... 94,404 39,187 1930-31 110,092 22,308 1931-32 .... 130,520 22,357 , 1932-33 ..i. 268,616 55,364', 1933-34 361,430 103,181 Oct. Ito May 31— -'' ; . " 1933-34 .... 326,040 .101,913 ' ' 1934-35 402,620' 144,082