PORK INDUSTRY.

Waikato Times, Volume 114, Issue 19012, 1 August 1933, Page 10

PORK INDUSTRY.

GREAT POSSIBILITIES. IMPORT AN OB TO DOMINION. PRODUCE) BOARD’S WORK. (Special to Times.) WELLINGTON, Monday. This Dominion has probably Oreater possibilities than any other country for the development of the pig Industry, states the annual report of the New Zealand Meat . Producers’ Board. It is the largest exporter of dairyproduce In the world, and there Is the additional advantage that the bulk of ■the milk separation is done on the farms. At present the fullest use Is not made of the dairy by-products- A certain amount is fed to young stock and to -pigs, but there is still a surplus which should be made greater use of In the feeding of more pigs. Compared with Denmark, the dairyman of the Dominion, because of climatic advantages and our wonderful natural resources, has been able to live on the production of hutterfat alone, and has almost neglected the potential wealth of the pig. In Denmark, on the other hand, both industries have been developed side by side until to-day her exports of pork products exceed her butter exports both in volume and value. For the past three seasons the board has been making a substantial annual grant to the Waikato Pig Recording Club, and recently a recording club has been formed in the Manawatu district, with a subsidy from the board- These recording clubs arc •doing very valuable work, and the •dissemination of information as to their work relating to the management and feeding of pigs must contribute materially In the successful development of the pig Industry along sound lines. The board also recently arranged for the recording officer attached to the Waikato Pig Recording Club to ■tour the various districts in the North Island, giving lectures and demonstrations to fanners. Information is also disseminated by means of wireless talks, publioity and instructional propaganda in 'farmers’ journals, special appeals by letter to dairy companies, and other means. Dradlng of Pigs. Last year the Government agreed to \ the setting-up of a committee known as the Dominion Pig Advisory Committee, representative of all interests connected with the pig industry, to he charged with the responsibility of making a complete investigation of the industry, with a view to determining upon useful recommendations. The board is working closely in touch with this committee, and its general manager is 'Chairman of that body. Several meetings of the committee have been held, and valuable work is being done in the interests of the industry- One important recommendation concerned the establishment of a system of grading pigs at the meatexport slaughterhouses and bacon factories, and a grading system has now been decided upon and is coming Into operation. It is gratifying to note the marked Increase in the killings of pork for export this Season, which is referred to -elsewhere in this report. It is anticipated that the total kill for the season will represent an increase of well over 100 per cent as compared with the previous season. The board is doing everything possible to help the pig industry in the Dominion. In its shipping freight contracts it has always recognised that the export of pork was an industry that must be helped, and since its inception the board has specially arranged with the shipping companies for a low shipping-freight rate on pork, so that to-day the rate on pork is reduced to less than one-half what it was in 1922. New Zealand pork is subject to special advertising at Home in the trade papers and elsewhere.