THE PIG INDUSTRY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19906, 17 September 1934, Page 9

THE PIG INDUSTRY

GREAT EXPANSION MEETING OF MARKETING ASSOCIATION At the Annual Meeting of shareholders in the New Zealand Co-opera-tive Pig Marketing Association, Limited, at Hamilton, opportunity was taken to review the operations of the year ended May 31, 1934, the second completed period since the reconstruction of the Company. Chairman’s Address The chairman of Directors, Mr W. A. Phillips explained that during the year the Company had handled 110,000 pigs, as against 80,000 in 1932-33 and 21,000 in 1931-32. In addition, the Association had handled 166,000 bobby calves, the number representing a large percentage of the total killed for export. The Company’s turnover for the year totalled £308,134, involving the gross sales of pork and bacon, bobby calves, and including exchange premium on export transactions. There had been considerable expansion of the company’s business in spite of the keenest and the most persistent opposition. The excess of income over expenditure was £174,583, and the nett proceeds, £171,129, were available for distribution to suppliers. The initial advance-payments for pigs received accounted for £138,482. A second advance payment of £1339 was made in December and a third distribution, totalling £31,307, was made in August. Mr Phillips said the Association had a complete and up-to-date organisation for marketing its products, both in the Dominion and in the United Kingdom. It had been able to improve its position materially by the establishment of a curing factory in England and by making arrangements with a New Zealand firm to cater for the local demand for bacon, and thus providing a competitive outlet for its products. The Association was well supported by co-operative dairy companies. Its activities had been extended to North Taranaki, and the South Island, where it had met with strong support. The year had been one of expansion, and the current year would be devoted to the consolidation of the business it had gained. The future position with regard to the export trade was still obscure. The New Zealand and British Governments were still discussing restrictive measures for exports, but the New Zealand Government was asking that Dominion producers be given an unrestricted marked for their bacon pigs. An improvement had been effected with regard to unexportable porkers, and a satisfactory outlet was being arranged for these pigs.

The secretary, Mr G. F. Saundevs, analysed the balance sheet and mentioned that administration costs had been reduced from 5.5 per cent, to 3.5 per cent of the turnover. The report and balance sheet were unanimously adopted. Messrs W. A. Phillips and E. E. Hale were returned unopposed to the Board of Directors, and expressed their thanks to the shareholders for thus displaying confidence in them.