EGG MARKETING

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 233, 14 September 1934, Page 11

EGG MARKETING

Problems for Poultry Board DEVELOPING INDUSTRY Conditions relative to the marketing of eggs w the Dominion are tar from satismctory from the point ot view ol producers and consumers, and similar views have been expressed by responsible organisations representing retailers. While every egg that is exported must be thoroughly tested for freshness and quality and every crate must be marked with the weight ot the eggs therein, together with the grader s certificate, eggs for local consumption may be offered for sale without any indication whatever ot the quality of their contents —whether new laid, iresh, stale or chilled, states a bulletin issued by the New Zealand Poultry Board. One of the functions of the New Zealand Poultry Board is to develop the poultry industry in the Dominion. Recognising that stabilisation and development of the industry ale primarily dependent upon increased local consumption of eggs, and that a guarantee of quality would encourage gi eater consumption, the board is urging that regulations be brought down to govern the sale of eggs on the local market. CHILLED EGGS. The board is advocating that all eggs placed in cool stores shall be marked '‘chilled.” Many thousands ol eggs which had been in cool storage for months were sold to consumers (ami to retailers) during this winter without any indication of being “chilled,” and actually at the same price as fresh eggs, being frequently mixed wvth the latter, although they had been in storage for periods ranging up to six months. Bought at lOd. or lid. per doz. during last spring and sold in the winter at about 2/- (in competition with producers’ fresh eggs), these investments or speculations showed a net profit of about 100 per cent, for six months. It is not suggested that efficient cool storage results in serious deterioration of tho wholesomeness and food value of eggs, but they should be sold on their merits, and priced accordingly. Official returns show that 115,159 doz. eggs were in cool stores in the Dominion on March 31, 1934, and only 2,787 doz. on July 31. As far as is known, “chilled” eggs were not offered for sale as such and the only reasonable assumption, supported by reliable information, is that the buyers believed they were being supplied with fresh eggs. Regulations now in force provide that preserved eggs shall be stamped with the word “preserved,” and this fact supports the boaid’s contention that appropriate regulations for the sale of “chilled” eggs should be brought down as soon as possible. GRADING AND MARKING. The board has requested the Government to bring down regulations to provide for the grading of eggs offered for sale to the public, eggs to be graded for quality and size as may be prescribed, the grade to be stamped on each egg. The Department of Agriculture has informed the board that tho matter of preparing proposed regulations is in hand. s ’ For the effective identification of eggs in connection with grading, chilling and preserving it is essential that tho ink or other material used should not be so affected by methods in common use as to become defaced, obliterated, or easily removable. In accordance with a request made by the New Zealand Poultry Board the Department of Agriculture is investigating this matter with a view to the adoption of an effective medium. EGG PULP. The extent to which eggs in the form of egg-pulp are stored for winter use, chiefly on behalf of bakers and pastrycooks, is not generally realised. Official returns show that the average quantity in cool stores at the end of each summer during the past nine years was 595,7051b5., equal to 266 tons of an estimated value of £25,000. For the first time during the period mentioned there was a shortage of supplied egg-pulp in cool stores during the present winter, although full supplies of eggs for this purpose were available during last spring and summer. Apparently interested parties miscalculated the winter requirements of the The importation of egg-pulp, except with the consent of the Minister of Customs and with the approval of the Board of Trade, is prohibited by regulations which became operative in 1921. At that time enormous and rapidly increasing importations of cheap preservatised Chinese egg-pulp threatened the very existence of the poultry industry in New Zealand. It was understood at the present time that prohibition of imports was dependent upon sufficient supplies of local eggs being available at reasonable prices to meet demands for pulping. Protection against cheap Asiatic egg-pulp resulted in rapid development of the industry with the result that no further importations have been necessary. In view of the circumstances and conditions mentioned, the Poultry Board recently deemed it advisable to inform Bakers and Pastry Cooks’ Associations in the chief centres that ample supplies of fresh eggs at a reasonable price were available for the manufacture of pulp for cool storage purposes.