FILLING THE QUOTA

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20105, 11 May 1935, Page 15

FILLING THE QUOTA

INCREASED BACON PRODUCTION SIR JAMES PARR’S ADVICE Some plain advice to. New Zealand farmers was contained in a letter from Sir James Parr (High Commissioner) which was read at Palmerston North at a combined meeting of the Manawatu Amalgamated Farmers’ Union and the Dairy Farmers’ Union. He stated: “There is a huge market in this country for good bacon, but some important facts must be borne in mind. There must be the proper pig, it must be properly fed and conditioned, and last but not least it must be efficiently cured by experts. “New Zealand is a dairying country like Denmark. But the vast difference is that New Zealand treats bacon as a sideline, whereas Denmark gets the huge sum of about £20,000,000 per year from the English people for her bacon. Indeed, she gets more money for bacon than for butter.

“At present New Zealand is producing pigs for the British porker market in large quantities. This may be profitable for the moment, but we should not neglect bacon possibilities as we are doing. There is a great opportunity open to New Zealand at present of sharing in the expansion of the English bacon industry, brought about by the increasing restriction of Danish and foreign bacons. The increase in English pigs has been enormous in the last two years, and this has been mostly responsible for curtailing imports of Danish bacon. The bacon market here is a very large one, and much more Important than the porker market, which is restricted.

“The quota allowed last year for New Zealand baconers was not reached, and for this year the English Government proposed a reduction in the quota. Only after considerable discussion could I get them to agree to 12,500 tons for this year, Jdo hope this quota will not be shprt delivered, for if we do not make full use of the quota allotted, it is possible the English Government may insist on reducing our allocation. Producers in New Zealand should therefore pay much greater attention to the production of baconers, and should not allow what I fear is a temporary favourable market for porkers to lead them astray. Without doubt there are opportunities at present of getting a substantial share in the English bacon trade, but these will disappear if we do not avail ourselves of our chances."

It was considered the matter was not one for the individual farmer but that the question must be answered by national action. A motion to the effect that the Executive Commission of Agriculture be asked to devote itself to the problem was agreed to.