PIG BREEDING IN THE EMPIRE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 5 December 1929, Page 7

PIG BREEDING IN THE EMPIRE

GREAT CO-OPERATIVE EFFORT NEEDED ADVANTAGES OF STANDARDISED PRODUCTION The twelfth report of the Imperial Economic Committee, just issued, deals with pigs and pig products. It emphasises the great hold obtained on the main bacon market in the United Kingdom by foreign competitors who have concentrated on tho production of a standardised typo of pig and organised the trade in bacon on a national basis. Taste in pig products varies in different parts of Great Britain, but the report stated that—"A general change is in progress in the prevailing taste". . . . "A liking for smaller and leaner cuts in place of fat heavy joints was becoming apparent in England in tho latter half of the last century. The lean type of bacon and ham, and the small cut of pork, aro now firmly established as the predominant requirements throughout the South of England. In the Midlands the demand is for a somewhat fatter product, and for sausages, pork pies and "processed" meats, whilst further North still fatter products find a ready market." In spite of these local differences, tho general preference for the lean type of bacon is growing. Danish farmers and bacon factories have concentrated on supplying this type. Ninety years ago Creafc Britain was an exporter of pig meat, but to-day is dependent on imports for two-thirds of its supply. Nearly half the total imports, which altogether are valued at £55,000,000 a year, consists of bacon from Denmark, in which practically only one type of pig, evolved largely from the largo Whit e > Yorkshire strain, is maintained. Payments are based on weight and quality grades and all exports are subject to constant and strict inspection. The vast majority of pigs give carcases , between 132 and 158 lbs, lower prices being paid for carcases outside this narrow range. Bacon so produced is marked in England as Danish ' and not under factory brands: It is all of the mild cured type and a very regular supply is maintained.

THE EMPIRE OVERSEAS At present the whole of the overseas •fc/mpire contributes less than one-seventh of the total imports of pig products into the United Kingdom. Canada and the Irish Iree State are the chief suppliers. Since the War aSTew Zealand has been developing a very useful trade in frozen pork, both for sale .as pork arid for curing into bacon. The consumption of pig products in the United Kingdom, though below those of Canada and the United States, has increased since the j ,fe aboufc 5° P er cent - in -"eigiit and 100 per cent, m value, du e almost wholly to larger imports of lard, bacon and frozen pork. Foreign countries have received almost th e whole benefit of this' expansion. CONDITIONS OF COMPETITION The report emphasises the necessity for meeting consumers' tastes and of maintaining a regular supply. It conJ* 1 " 8 » statement by representatives of both the bacon and pork trades of the characters to which the products should conform to meet the main market and of the breeds which yield carcases of the requisite types. The report points out the great possibilities which exist within tho Empire. It expresses the definite opinion that these possibilities arc unlikely to be realised without organisation amongst th e producers and the adoption by them and the curing industry of a joint common policy.' RESEARCH The report advocates that entry into the herd books should be dependent upon commercial performance and not only on show points. It advocates further research into the problems of nutrition generally, but states that from the point of view of the substitution of Empire products" for those of foreign countries, perhaps the most fruitful line of research lies in the effort to make possible the carriage, without detriment, of mild cured bacon from the Southern Dominions." Preliminary experiments conducted at Cambridge an the freezing and cold storage of Bacon are full of promise. They indicate that wtn certain modifications of present practice the problems of transport of mild cured bacon from the Southern Dominions should be possible. The report strongly advocates that those experiments should be continued and developed with a view to testing their icsults in commercial practice.. COMPETITORS COMPARATIVELY FEW In spite of the large size of the import trade into Great Britain, supplies are drawn from comparatively few countries, the chief being Denmark, United States Sweden and Holland. The trade trom the United States consists mainly in lard and hams, and it is possible that countries in the Empire producing large crops of maize might compete in that trade. The portions of the Empire in which possibilities at present arc most promising are:-The Irish Free btate, Canada,. Australia. New Zealand and South Africa. IN CONCLUSION The report emphasises that regularity .fmPPty, lß « sse ntial for a steady trade. Ih e idea that the top of the market can easily be caught by an 'in-and-out' policy is an illusion." The committee envisaged "a great problem-nothing less than the replacement of the foreigner by the Empire farmer in the main supply of the standard article to the British market," For this standards of size and quality, adequate quantity, regular supply and competitive prices are essential. "The general effect of our report may be summed up in the words—the mobilisatjon of the producer." The benefits to the small farmer of a successful pig industry are so obvious as to justify, in our opinion a great co-operative effort involving the farmers and traders of the Empire and, indeed, the Government.