NEW ZEALAND EGGS

Te Aroha News, Volume XLI, Issue 6441, 22 January 1924, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND EGGS

GOOD MARKET IN LONDON

That there is a good opening on the London market for New Zealand eggs of good quality is the opinion of Mr J.‘ B. Merrett, who tok the shipment of Dominion eggs home in the s.s. Corinthic. In a letter from London Mr Merrett states that the temperature of the chilling chamber on the voyage home did not vary more than two degrees during the six weeks’ voyage. He personally superintended the unloading at the Albert Docks, and had the satisfaction of landing the whole consignment of 547,680 with only two eggs broken. This surprised the buyers at the other end, as in two previous shipments the breakages had been 40 per cent, and 27 per cent, respectively. The eggs taken Home by the Corinthic were conveyed to Hay’s wharves, eight miles up the Thames, where they were stored. The quality of the New Zealand eggs was excellent, and much superior to the eggs from other countries which arrived during the same week, the latter showing staleness as the result of having been kept too long. The New Zealand consignment arrived when there was a plentiful supply on the market, and the demand was poor. One buyer declared that the New Zealand eggs were the best on the market, with the excepion of English new-laid eggs. Mr Merrett succeeded in disposing of the eggs at from 2/2 to 2/5 per dozen, and hoped to do better with the shipment by the s.s. Rotorua. He also cabled for a third shipment to arrive in January. He considers that there is an unlimited demand in London, but states that a good deal of work is necessary to introduce New Zealand eggs. He hoped in a few months to be able to supply all the surplus eggs the Dominion could send Home. Mr Merrett is of the opinion that higher prices can be secured ■with • better grading, which must be kept uniform. He attributes the superior quality of the Corinthic shipment to the. iow temperature at which the ment was carried. One buyer who took 200 dozen on trial later took 6000 dozen. Mr Merrett’s investigations into the egg pulp market were not sufficiently advanced to give a report at time of writing. The pulp he took Home arrived in the best condition, and tests proved it to be of the highest quality.