BRITISH EGG MARKET

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 154, 27 December 1935, Page 10

BRITISH EGG MARKET

DUTY MAY BE RAISED

The British Reorganisation Commission for Eggs and Poultry has reported in favour of increasing the duty on foreign eggs in the shsell by 6d per long hundred (120),, and imposing a duty of. 6d on Empire eggs. The chairman of the Australian Egg Marketing Board, Mr. A.. G. Crooke, has stated that taking it on the basis of last year's pack a penny either up or down in price meant a difference of £12,500 for every 100,000 cases of Australian eggs sold in London. The • suggested duty, therefore, meant an impost of Is 6d a case, or a little, more than id. a dozen. The London market during the' last year or two had been so difficult that the policy of the Egg Board had been to keep off-it as long as possible. This year they did not start exporting until August 1, and completed the work on December 1. The surplus arising before ■ and after those dates, as the result of a change of board policy, had been absorbed by the local market. This year only 160,000 cases had been exported, or 70,000 fewer than during last year. The Australian Board had actually anticipated the British Commission's action,,and by so doing had protected both the producer and itself. It had to be admitted, however, that the Is 6d a case duty was a serious thing for the industry, and on this year's export figures would probably amount to about £10,p00. Most of the eggs, exported however, would be sold;before the Commission's recommendation conies into force.