PIG EXPORT TRADE

Taranaki Daily News, 15 July 1935, Page 14

PIG EXPORT TRADE

MORE BACONERS ADVOCATED. ADVICE OF MEAT BOARD. Farmers who are producing pigs for export are advised by the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board to convert as large a percentage of pigs as possible into, the baconer class instead of killing them as porkers. In a circular the board stated it could not be too frequently emphasised that the trade in Great Britain absorbed only about 50,000 tons of imported porkers as against over 400,000 tons of bacon .hams and baconers equivalent to approximately 550,000 tons baconer pigs. It would be seen, therefore, that the imported baconer trade into the United Kingdom was approximately 11 times more than the imported porker trade. “New Zealand’s share of this baconer trade is relatively insignificant, whereas her share of the imported porker trade is substantial,” the circular continued. “With quotas being fixed by the United Kingdom Government as to the quantities of the various classes which may be imported into Great Britain, this is an aspect of the position that farmers must not overlook, and they should therefore make their arrangements to convert as large a percentage of pigs into the baconer class as they possibly can.

“The New Zealand Government and the Meat Board have been successful in obtaining an adequate quota for New Zealand baconers for arrival in the United Kingdom during the calendar year 1935, the quantity fixed for this period of 12 months being 12,500 tons. Needless to say, it is most important that this quota be filled, having regard to the future.”

An examination of the following figures showing the killings for export in the Dominion of porkers and baconers respectively for past seasons, shows that recently the increase in baconers over the previous season has represented a higher percentage than has been the case with porkers. This is considered satisfactory so far as it goes, but. a still greater “swing-over” from porkers to baconers is required. Details of killings for export in terms of carcases are:—

Season Poi'kers. Baconers. 1925-26 ... 28,819 21,184 1926-27 ... 45,147 29,486 1927-28 ... 118,551 29,050 1928-29 ... 115,996 43,301 1929-30 ... 94,404 39,187 1930-31 ... 110,092 22,308 1931-32 ... 130,520 22,357 1932-33 ... 268,616 55,364 1933-34 ... 361,430 103,181 Oct. 1 to May 31— 1933-34 ... ... 326,040 101,913 1934-35 ... ... 402,620 144,082