NEW ZEALAND PIG TRADE.

Feilding Star, Volume 6, Issue 1352, 12 March 1928, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND PIG TRADE.

THE MARKET IN BRITAIN

LIGHT PORKERS IN DEMAND London, .Jan. UK “The few New calami pigs offered for sale on the market made good prices. 11 seems a pity that fuller advantage is not taken of the facilities offered by Smitklield for marketing Dominion porkers. it is obvious that a market attended daily by the chief users of this commodity must be invaluable both as a means of disposal and advertisement.” This paragraph Is from Messrs 11. B. Fitter and Sons’ last market report. It is obvious from reports from the Dominion that the pork and bacon problem of this country is not fully understood by farmers The suggestion, for instance, that New Zealand should open a bacon-curing factory in England to cure New Zealand frozen pigs is an example of the failure to grasp the facts of the situation. A review of this situation would be useful for pig breeders, and point the direction their policy should ce in the near future.

Before the embargo was placed on Continental pork a couple of years

ago, as a safeguard against foot and mouth disease, England was the principal market for fresh pork and bacon coming from Denmark, Holland and to a less extent from the Baltic countries. The embargo created a. revolution in the trade Although the Continental producers could send no more fresh pork -they were not prevented from sending bacon. Having no other considerable outlet tor their produce the Continental pu.

Oncers were forced to turn all pork they wished to export into baeou. The supply jn England lias been so great- that prices have come down, and now remain at a fairly consistently low level. For instance the current prices are :Latvian, Estonian, Polish and ILissian bacon 70s per c'wt; Dutch, 70s fo 755; Danish, 70s to 80s Irish, 80 to 00s. That is, Continental; lmcon is selling at from about (Ud to Sd lb wholesale. The supply is so ample and consistent that it.is not likely the prices will increase. - On tlieotlier liand, It' i 3 not likely they will fall any lower, as the economic minimum Ims been reached. Denmark was killing 125.000 pigs a week before Christmas, Last week over 100,000 were killed, so that it is evident there is not much chance of a .scarcity of bacon in (Ids country. Bacon made from New Zealand frozen pigs corresponds in quality

wlili Dutch bacon. New Zealand bacon pigs at a cost: of Old in England would be equivalent' to 7Os per cwt when made into bacon. At the present ...time New Zealand bacon, pigs .sold at GJd per lb, andDuteh bacon at; from 70s to 70s per cwt. This price of OJd has ruled for some time and with (lie heavy import of Continental bacon there Is very I title likelihood of improvement. Producers .may judge for themselves if this Gi per lb is a profitable proposition. it is difficult to sec the prospect of any Improvement under present conditions..