PIG-RAISING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 12 March 1930, Page 8

PIG-RAISING

STABILISATION OF INDUSTRY Side by sido villi the development of New Zealand’s pork export trade the consumption of pigs within the Dominion lias shown a gradual increase in recent years: the breakfast rasher is growing in popularity in New Zealand households.

Despite the fact that there is an assured market for all this country can produce, however, it has not yet been

found possible to stabilise the industry in such a- manner as to guarantee regular supplies for any particular market. (states the “Sun”). . No section of farming is more susceptible to market prices than pig raising. There is a big section of marginal breeders who come in only when prices are good, pulling out when there is a decline, and, as a. result, years of heavy supplies follow years of short markets with precision?!l regularity: incidentally, the marginal producer, the mail who is in and out of the industry, seldom shows a satisfactory profit on his efforts and the prestige of the industry suffers as a result. One of the big factors about pig rais-

ing is that it lakes little more, than .13 months to bring oil a big increase in output; pigs can he ready for the market within eighteen months of a decision to set a young sow for breeding ; t hus :v period of high prices is generally followed two years later by oversupplies and lower values. Acting oil that assumption exporters now predict good prices tti the end of next season, after which lower values can be again expected. Reports from overseas at the moment indicate that North America is approximately 5,000.000 head short in her pig herds this season; Argentina and other countries, outside the Continent of Kurnpe, are much in the same position; the swing of the pendulum cannot In' looked for for another 12 months at least. In the meantime both in New Zealand for home, consumption and overseas for sale particularly on the English market there is a steady demand for pork products which all ’the talk relative to “fishy taints ’ of a few months ago did little to diminish.

Exhaustive investigations abroad have shown that there is a very definite demand for New Zealand pork and that a profitable trade, could lie built up if only regularity of supply could lie assured; the Knglish pork market is worth giany millions sterling to Danish exporters, am! a big share ot this is available for New Zealand producers. As indicated, however, the biggest handicap those who are attempting to Imild ii]i the trade, have to cope with is the inability to maintain a regularity of supply. There may be a big export surplus one year, while the next may see only a very small surplus available for shipment overseas.

'Phis weakness has long been recognised by the leaders of the industry in this country, and a further effort is now being made to put. it. on a better fooling. There has been formed in the Waikato recently a Pig Recording Association which, with the support of a wide range of members, aspires to undertaking an exhaustive research of the industry, with a view to finding out, its weaknesses and endeavouring to discover a way to stabilise profit. Records will he kept of feeding, breeding and length of time when to reach profitable quality. In all a concerted effort will lie made to discover weaknesses in management, and best methods of feeding. There is much room for an investigation of this nature, and it is to he hoped that the outcome will he a great stabilisation of production in the Dominion.