MEAT CRISIS

Evening Star, Issue 23833, 13 March 1941, Page 13

MEAT CRISIS

FURTHER SHOCKS TO EXPORTERS BRITAIN CANNOT TAKE FULL BACOHER “quota . [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, March 12. A further shock to the export meat market was given at Westfield to-day when it was found that exporters of bacon pigs were not operating at the weekly fat stock sale. No official statement would be made by anyone concerned in the export trade, but it was learned that this action followed the receipt of an unofficial intimation hy an exporter that Britain cou|d not take all the baconers it was hoped to export. The Minister of Marketing, Hon. J. G. Barclay, declined to comment on the situation, but he said that the whole of the meat export trade would be reviewed at a conference in Wellington. The abstention of exporters from today’s market followed the issue of a new price schedule on Tuesday, which reduced the values of baconers and porkers by Jd per lb to 6Jd and respectively. The best price for a baconer to-day was £4 3s, compared with £4 15s a week ago, and for porkers £2 14s against £3 2s. When Denmark was cut off as the source of supply last year an appeal was made to New Zealand to increase production of baconers, even to the extent of 10,000 tons a year. Campaigns were initiated by the Government to induce farmers to breed more bacon pigs, the Controller of Primary Production, Mr A. H. Cockayne, in an appeal on April 18 stating that even if it had to be produced at a loss it was every fanner’s duty to produce bacon, The Government also requested the local bodies to use any available land for the raising of pigs. Up to the end of October the export killings were double those Of the corresponding period of the previous year. From January of this year only bacon sides have been taken in an endeavour to save storage and shipping space. SHIPPING SHORTAGE MEAT INTERESTS CONFERENCE [Pia United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, March 13. The Hon. J. Barclay announced | that the crisis arising from shortage of refrigerated shipping space will be discussed at a conference in Wellington on Friday of all meat interests. The Minister promised to make a full statement at the end of the week.