PRODUCTION OF EGGS

Southland Times, Issue 23544, 25 June 1938, Page 20

PRODUCTION OF EGGS

QUESTION OF STATE AID

The statement that the Government would assist poultry producers in the maintenance of a payable price for eggs made recently by the secretary of the Canterbury Egg Farmers’ Association, Mr C. Ferguson, was desscribed by the vice-president of the New Zealand Poultry Producers’ Federation, Mr J. W. McGlinchy, of Hornby, as misleading to producers. Mr McGlinchy stated that the only way the Government could assist producers was by fixing a higher export price or by taking complete control of the market. With central grading floors in each of the four centres, Mr McGlinchy asserted, the industry could stand on its own feet, but otherwise there was no means of assistance of any vsluc* The Director of Internal Marketing, Mr F. R. Picot, had promised that the Government would assist in the fixing of a higher export price, said Mr McGlinchy, but the exporting of surplus eggs would create an artificial shortage on the local market and the local price would be higher than the export rate. Mr McGlinchy pointed out that last year eggs were available for export only after the possibilities of the local market had been exhausted. When the export market closed and the local market reached saturation point, surplus eggs were made into pulp. As this year’s requirements for pulped eggs were already filled, the only avenue open to surplus eggs would be the overseas market. The only way producers could be encouraged to export would be for the Government to buy all eggs offering for export at a price greater than the local market price.