THE PIG INDUSTRY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21325, 28 October 1932, Page 3

THE PIG INDUSTRY

HOPE FOR EXPANSION DEPARTMENT'S REPORT TRADE IN PORK "While our sheep and dairying industries have progressed steadily for years past and the volume of exports derived from them has shown a marked increase, the pig industry has made little or no real progress, and to-day, as was the case ton years ago, pigs aro regarded mainly as a means of using up dairying by-products and nothing more," comments the annual report of the Department of Agriculture, presented to Parliament on Tuesday. "Yet New Zealand is eminently adapted to pig production on a large scale, our pork has a good imputation in British markets and a much greater quantity could have been exported without any fear of over-supply. It has always been difficult to understand why New Zealand farmers, who in most respects are quick in adopting improved and progressive methods in production and marketing, havo failed to make use of their opportunities for building up a large export trade in pork, in spite of the efforts made to induce them to do so." The food question has no doubt been a factor in this, but the cost involved by the purchase of foodstuffs could be largely avoided if more pig provender were produced on the farm itself, continues the report. A further point is that in meatmeal, now a well-prepared ailicle, a large supply of highly-concentrated food is available in the Dominion at a very reasonable cost, considering its high feeding value. In combination with roots it makes a wellbalanced food on which pigs do well. Certainly, of late years, the type of pig produced has shown some improvement and a greater interest in pig production is noticeable. The establishment of a Pig Recording Club in the Waikato (assisted by a grant from the Meat Board) was a progressive move, and it is hoped that similar organisations may be established in other dairying districts. Reference is made to the setting up of a special pig industry committee to go fully into all aspects of the industry and assist in bringing about a large expansion of it on sound lines. This body is composed of representatives of the Meat and Dairy Board, Massey and Lincoln Colleges, bacon companies, pig-breeders, the Farmers' Union, the Waikato Pig Recording Club and the Research and Agriculture Departments, and it is considered that its deliberations and recommendations should prove of great value. Its members give their services free of any cost whatever to the Government. One important matter for discussion by the committee, mentioned in the report, is the establishment of a properly-organ-ised system of grading of pigs, whether for export or for local consumption through r,he medium of bacon factories. Recommendations regarding this will be submitted in due course. Such a system would go far toward establishing improvement both in type and quality, for which there is plenty of scope. The co-operation of freezing companies and others concerned is confidently anticipated, as, though for the time being the overseas market for bacon pigs is unprofitable, there is so good an opportunity for considerably expanding our export of pigs of the porker type that it. should be taken advantage of to the fullest extent attainable.