PIG PRODUCTION

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 9, 10 July 1940, Page 13

PIG PRODUCTION

ORCHARDISTS TO HELP

Steps to assist fruit growers to produce baconer pigs in their orchards by making available to, them convenient means of finance, have been investigated«by the New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation recently. The Hawke's Bay manager of the federation, Mr. C G Wilkinson, stated recently that, with the full co-operation of growers, it was felt" that satisfactory arrangements could be made, states an exchange. • This question was carefully considered at a meeting of federation branch managers in Wellington last week, which was attended by Mr. Wilkinson. On his return to Hastings he noted with pleasure that the Hawke's Bay .Fruitgrowers' Association was moving in the direction of encouraging orchardists to assist in the demand for greater baconer production. As the association and federation both have the same objective in view, he is hopeful that the action which the federation decides to take will dovetail in with whatever course the association decides on, so that the effort will give the maximum results.

The fruit-growing industry, said Mr. Wilkinson, recognised, along with all other sections of the community, the urgent need for extra effort, and the orchardists were anxious to assist to the utmost. It was definitely felt by the federation that one direction in which they could help was in the production of baconers in the orchard. Besides providing meat much needed by Great Britain, a move in this direction would also serve to utilise waste fruit, of which there were large quantities in Hawke's Bay. By the utilisation of this fruit pi^s could be raised at less cost to the producer.

' Mr. Wilkinson mentioned that the supervisor of the pig industry, Mr. M. J. Scott, had addressed the meeting in Wellington on various questions relative to pigs in the orchard. Among other things he had stated that if an orchardist intended breeding his own baconers, he should run one sow to ten acres.