PORK INDUSTRY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 11 October 1926, Page 10

PORK INDUSTRY.

— THE 1 EXPORT TRADE. - * NEED FO R GRAD IXG. DISCUSSION AT INGLEWOOD. The necessity of building up the export -trade by improving: tuie quality o-i New Zealand pone was, ibriefiy discussed at the annual meeting ol the Inglewood Co-operative Bacon Company oil Saturday, when Air. It. W. D. Robert.son brought up what lie characterised as his iliardy annual, the question or the- grading of pigs and paying for the pork on quality. With the export trade, lie said, -it'would be necessary to build nj> the quality, and that could be nucoin pi killed by grading. He understood that a new company that was starting operations intended paying lor quality, and if they did the -other companies- wouild have ;to fall into line or they would only receive the rejects. He thought the Inglewood Company should make .a, start on grade. Tito chairman (Air. A. Al.orton) admitted that grading was the ideal, hut how. lie asked, would they put it into practice. 5 ' Air. J. Alien, the factory manager, expressed the hope that another company' was prepared to grade, because if ■so Inglewood could do likewise. It would, however, be difficult for Ingle-' wood to start grading, as the farmers would take their pigs elsewhere. There was, of course, the outstanding cliff,h culty that the pork could not be graded -until the pig was killed. He admitted that the idea, behind grading wais to have the pigs properly fed. but the fanner would not he prepared to grow pigs at a cost of 8d .per pound to receive only 7cl. per pound for them. Grain fed pork certainly produced more bacon., but at present grain was too expensive. Under all the circumstances he doubted if grading was practicable. Jklir. Robertson held that the New Zealand export b'anon trade had not made the strides it should, because tlvev did not pay sufficient .attention to quality. American bacon, which was' raised on all grain, was not favoured .so much in England as English raised, which was bred on part grain and pant milk. There was no reason why the quality of New Zealand bacon should not be improved: so that it could compete against, the best, English instead of the American, as it, did at present,, iff they used pa.rit meal with iihie iskiin milk they could fatten their pigs omi’eh more quickly and could raise three times .as many. The chairman admitted that grading was a good ideal if satisfactory means Orf introducing -it could he, arrived a.t He pointed out that advice from Home was to the effect that, New Zealand pigs were the class they required, being miles ahead of the American. Mr. Alien remarked that the cost of grain prevented its being used to a-n.y extent. Mr. !R-a"ber(t.soii isiaicl he was s-atT.sifted that, with the increasing export it would be 'found necessary to grade, as was clone with lamb- and mutton. At present only the best, quality pigs were exported, :ancl it was only right that those who supplied that pork 'should receive ,a. little extra, price. Air. R. B. Sutton agreed that there were “milk fed pigs” and milk fed ones. He favoured the idea of differential payment if it could be arranged. Mr. Allen said their pigs on the whole were very uniform, though they occasionally got a 'nought one. The chairman said .suppliers could be paid on dead weight if they wished. He was satisfied that 50 per cent, more farmers would use grain if it c-o-ulcl be Secured at a reasonable price. The Government, however, laic! restrictions- on the Minoorfc of pollard, bran, etc., from Australia and the farmers were suffering from, that handicap. Air. i>. Ter hi thought farmers should grow .the grain instead of buying it. He bad been growing ba-rlev for his pigs for years, but liad never heard whethe r they were iauy better or worse I for it.

The chairman .said !he had been growing (barley, but* lhad to give up, as it was 'always followed by batches of Oa li fo r nia n thistle.—News.

INGLEWOOD’S COMPANY’S YEAR. A note of optimism and appreciation of the work by all connected with the operations of the bacon company at Inglewood was struck by the chairman (Mr A. Mort-on) at the annual meeting <if shareholders on Saturday at Inglewood . An outstanding feature of the \eai’s work remarked upon by the chairman in his address on moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet for the year, was the increase in the number of pigs supplied, due to an increase ‘in shareholders and a. wider appreciation of the value of breeding and fattening pige. The number handled was over 12,()(!(), more than double the number put-through in the early years of the company. He commented, favourably on the good prices obtained locally "and also on the company’s export business, and he said he felt confident this improvement in prices was likely to continue. for the reception given at Home to the frozen pork had been very encouraging. The export, too. would prevent the local markets being flooded, and help to make pig-raising the everincreasing and important industry it should be. Reductions on freights secured and to the extension of operations by the acquisition of the Smart Road Works, where, they expected to be killing by the flush of the season, and therefore able to deal with, a much larger out7>ufc were referred to by the speaker. Later in the meeting a motion to increase the capital of the company from £20.000 to £30,000 was carried unanimously.