PIG MARKETING

Evening Star, Issue 21632, 30 January 1934, Page 7

PIG MARKETING

DEVELOPING EXPORT TYPE DOMINION ORGANISER'S ADDRESS Mr N. W. Hastings, dominion organiser of the New Zealand Co-opera-tive Pig Marketing Association, addressed a meeting of farmers at the Farmers’ Union rooms yesterday on the export of pork and pig breeding. Mr Fred. Waite, who occupied the chair, said that the movement in connection with the operations of the association had been started in the south owing to the 'difficulty daii'y farmers and pig breeders had experienced in, getting satisfactory prices. They had held a meeting under the auspices of the dairy companies and the fanners’ unions, and the question had been raised whether they were breeding the right type of pig. They knew that a great quantity of pork and bacon was exported to the Old Country, and that Australia and Canada particularly were making an attempt to obtain as great a share as they could of the market. In New Zealand a certain amount of work had been done, especially in the North Island, and for the past few years there had been a steady export of pigs. In the south, however, they had been lagging behind. Those connected with the provisional committee set up by the dairy farmers and pig breeders had got into touch with the people dealing with the export of pigs in the North Island, and had eventually got Mr Phillips, the chairman, to come to Christchurch. Mr Hastings had then come to Canterbury, and lie had met pig breeders in Westland and Canterbury. He was now starting a tour of Otago and Southland to give information on the export -pf pigs and the type of animal required in the Horae market. • / Mr Hastings, who proved an enthusiast in his subject, dealt with the question of possible markets, and said he could assure his audience that there was a good market overseas for New Zealand pork, and that it would continue for some time. Mr T. Duncan, chairman of the Meat Board, had told him it would be anything from seven to ten years, no matter how the export increased, before it would be possible for New Zealand even to supply the London market. It was not generally known that consequent on foot-and-mouth disease an embargo on the import of fresh pork from the Continental countries had been imposed by Great Britain. The speaker referred to the great quantity of pork imported to Britain from Denmark, amounting to 28,000,000 pounds in 1927, and said’ the butter export from that country took second place to pork. Immediately the embargo had been imposed Denmark had gone over to bacon. In 1931 New Zealand had to switch over from bacon to pork, because Denmark had swamped the London market for bacon. Reference was made to the difficulties facing New Zealand in trying to carry on her export business, and Mr Hastings said that his association had twelve months ago put up its own factory in England, and had then started to sell bacon ( to the stores. As a result of the operations of the association the market for pork had improved in the dominion. Various aspects of the work of the association were detailed, and the speaker then went on to speak of the best methods to employ in the breeding of pigs and the best methods of preparing them for the market. He dealt with this subject at length, and summed up his remarks by stating that tlie way to judge a pig was to look it “squarely in the face.” If' the shoulders showed out beyond the level of the jowl it was too big in the shoulders. Similarly, if the hams showed out beyond the jowl it was too big there. The long, lean pig—that was, in conformation —was the best type to breed, and he personally favoured the large white. Mr Waite, in thanking Mr Hastings for his interesting address, said that they were laying the foundation for the export trade in the south. Mr Hastings had given them much valuable information, and it would, he was .sure, be very particularly appreciated when he visited the districts in Otago unci Southland, where the farmers were engaged in pig breeding on a-large scale.