ROOM FOR INCREASE IN MARKET FOR EGGS IN N.Z. VISUALISED

Wanganui Chronicle, 27 April 1950, Page 6

ROOM FOR INCREASE IN MARKET FOR EGGS IN N.Z. VISUALISED

“In my mind, there is room for a very great expansion in the public demand for eggs,” said the president, Mr. D. K. Chamberlain, at the annual meeting of the Wanganui Registered Poultry Keepers’ Association last night. “Do you know that it has been estimated that in the current year the consumption of eggs in the United States of Artiecica will approximate 420 a head. I very much doubt whether the figure in New Zealand any way near approaches half of that figure. This is all the more deplorable when we consider this is a country which could, and should, be the most well fed in the world.

“Certainly we have the resources which would make it possible to produce sufficient poultry foodstuffs to maintain a poultry population which could satisfy a demand similar to that in America,” said Mr. Chamberlain. “Our product is a highly nutritous and easily digested foodstuff which compares quite favourably in price with other foodstuffs supplying the same food essentials. Our housewife has been encouraged to use substitutes and that is the position we should try to reverse. Instead of featuring recipes without eggs, we want to see our journals telling the people how they can use more eggs. That this would benefit the health of the community generally is certain.” Dealing with quality, Mr. Chamberlain said that during the war period and up to the present time poultry breeders had been encouraged to put every possible egg on the market and quality had been placed in the background. This fact, he said, had been a source of worry to many in the industry who realised that the placing of eggs of doubtful character, and in many cases definite second and third quality eggs, on the market could do much harm to consumer demand. The faults which had brought this about must now be remedied. “I feel, and I know that the leaders of the industry are of the same mind, that now is the time to concentrate on every and any angle that will contribute to the placing of the best possible product on the market so that the consumer can purchase with absolute confidence,” he said. The election of officers resulted: Patron, Mr. W. A. Chainey; president, Mr. D. K. Chamberlain; honorary vicepresidents, Messrs. G. Clarke, B. E. Wilkinson, and J. Patterson; vicechairman, Mr. T. Smith; committee, Messrs. G. Steele, A. L. Harrex, H. Higgs, L. D. Serra, G. Wilkinson, M. A. Rasmussen, I. W. Bayley; auditor, Mr. H. E. Blight.