BIG FOOD RESERVES

Grey River Argus, 5 June 1942, Page 4

BIG FOOD RESERVES

AUSTRALIA’S PLANS

Dried Fruit and VegoJabJes

MUTTON ALSO TO BE , DEHYDRATED.

(Special to N.Z. Press Assn.) 1 (Rec. 10.50), SYDNEY, June 4. 1 The mass production of vegetables, 'the drying of the Commonwealth’s apricot crop, and the establishment ■of plants for the large-scale dehydration of mutton, are three senemes now under the consideration of the 'Australian Food Council. The Council is concerned with the safeguarding of the civilian food needs during the war. ( I There is a special report before the Council which suggests that the ' consumption of vegetables by both ■ the service and the civilian popu-a-tions in each State should be determined, and also that plans should be made for the regional production ot thq vegetables required. The report also recommends that the State Agricultural Department shall select suitable ureas for the mass production of vegetables. 1, The high food value of dried apn--1 cots, especially for young children, is stressed, and it is recommended that the entire Australian apricot crop be dehydrated. 1 | A further recommendation is that ' the extraction of flour from wheat should be raised to seventy-five percent. in all of the mills, since this ; would greatly improve the nutritive value ofi the bread.

! Pork, bacon, fresh and tinned milk, bread, oatmeal, whole wheatmeal, infant and invalid cereal foods, beef, . mutton, butter, barley, rice and flour, are listed as foods that are esI sential for adequate civilian nutrition.

! A special report on the dehydra- ' tion of fruit and vegetables has been ' made by the Minister of Commerce, Hon. Mr. Scully, for the Council. | The Treasury has recently authorised the expenditure of one hundred thousand pounds for the equipment for the dehydration of vegetables and fruits throughout Australia. | Mr. Scully has announced that he now proposes to ask the Cabinet for 'two hundred thousand pounds to establish dehydration plants for deal- ! ing with mutton. The Minister ex--1 plains that many hundreds! of thov- [ sands of sheep are never converted ' into meat, because it is not reI munerativq to transport the sheep over long- distances. With dehydra- ' tion. facilities in the country centres, he says, Australia’s meat production might be increased considerably. The 'British Government is anxious to seI cure twenty-five thousand tons of • dehydrated mutton, states Mr. Scully. and so concentrated is the dehydrated product that this would involve the treatment of about ten millions of sheep carcases.