EGG MARKETING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25174, 15 March 1943, Page 2

EGG MARKETING

PRICE ORDER EXTENDED EFFORT TO DIVERT SUPPLIES TO CITIES (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Mar. 14. Owing to difficulties of administration with regard to the supervision of egg prices, particularly in the smaller towns and the country areas, the Price Tribunal has issued a comprehensive price order covering hen and duck eggs throughout the Dominion. The order incorporates variations in the wholesale prices current at the same period last year, and at the same time covers the prices of ungraded eggs in the country areas, the last-mentioned prices having tended to get out of line with the fixed prices in the egg-marketing areas, which mainly comprise the larger centres of population. The internal marketing division, which has been faced with a difficulty in securing eggs for consumption in the cities, particularly in Auckland and Wellington, has been provided with facilities to assist in the direction of a fair and proper share of the eggs available throughout the Dominion for consumption in the main cities. Unless the price order is fully operative over the whole of New Zealand, the efforts to secure even distribution will be thwarted by the operation of inflated prices in country areas. The tribunal has, therefore, issued a price order in terms of which its inspectors will be able to check up on the prices of eggs quickly and efficiently in every area, both town and country. The procedure to be instituted provides for the division of New Zealand into six egg price areas. These are attached to, or incorporate, the present egg-marketing areas, but there is a variation in the permitted price as between the egg-marketing areas already in existence, which are mainly city areas, and the egg price areas. The following are the maximum wholesale prices per dozen fqr hen eggs applying for the first period set out in the Order, which came into force on Saturday (the five prices given in each case are for heavy, standard, medium, and pullet grades, and ungraded) : Auckland egg price area: 2s BJd, 2s 6}d, 2s 44d, Is 9id. 2s 4d. Hawke’s Bay egg price area: 2s 7d, 2s sd. 2s 3d, Is 9d, 2s 2*d. Wellington egg price area: 2s Bd, 2s 6d 2s 4d, Is 9d, 2s 3Jd. Christchurch egg price area: 2s 6d, 2s 4d. 2s 2d. Is 9d, 2s lid. Westland egg price area: 2s 7d. 2s sd. 2s 3d. Is lOd, 2s ljd. „ Dunedin egg price area: 2s 4d, 2s 2d, Is lid. Is 7d, Is llid. The prices within the egg price areas, but excluding the egg marketing areas, are fixed throughout at ljd a dozen lower. The effect should therefore be to divert more eggs to the city areas where they will command a higher wholesale price.