KILLINGS DOWN

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21047, 26 February 1940, Page 2

KILLINGS DOWN

PRODUCTION OF PIGS SERIOUS POSITION BRITAIN’S WARTIME NEEDS A rather disquieting feature of the Dominion’s efforts tq increase production as a means of rendering valuable assistance to Britain during the war is the fall in the fat pig killings. Killings for export were down 35 per cent in numbers to the end of January and were lower in weight by 21 per cent. Commenting cn the position today, Mr W. A. Phillips, chairman of directors of the New Zealand Cooperative Pig Marketing Association, said that the situation in view of Britain’s urgent need for increased supplies of pig meats must be considered serious. However, although Dcminion killings were down, his own association’s killings on a percentage basis showed an increase on last year. Many pig producers were definitely taking advantage of the supplies of cheap Australian barley, said Mr Phillips, but on the whole producers could not be said to be taking advantage of the present opportunity as they should. Although most pig producers were regarding any endeavour to increase production as a patriotic duty, there were apparently still some who did not yet realise the seriousness of the position.