H.—3o

Prices and conditions were the same as for the preceding season. The full range of prices payable by the Marketing Department for canned meats purchased under the current (1942-43) season contracts is as follows :— Per Dozen f.o.b. Per Dozen f.o.b. (N.Z. Currency). (N.Z. Currency). Corned beef— £ s. d. Brisket beef— £ s. d. First-quality taper soldered 6's .. 3 3 3J First-quality soldered 6's .. ..5177 Second-quality taper soldered 6's .. 3 0 2 First-quality soldered 4's .. ..431 First-quality round soldered 6's . . 3 3 3| Canned tongues— First-quality taper soldered 12 oz. .. 010 6| Ox and calf— First-quality round sanitary 12 oz. 010 4 First-grade 6's .. .. 10 5 0 Corned mutton— Second-grade 6's .. ..979 First-quality taper soldered 6's 2 13 10 Sheep and lamb— Second-quality taper soldered 6's .. 2 10 8J 12 oz. .. ~ ..0168 Boiled mutton— 1 lb. .. .. ..109 First-quality round soldered 6's ~ 213 10 Pig 6's .. .. ..717 Bobby calf 12 oz. .. 0 19 1 During the season under review considerable quantities of meat have been canned for the United States Joint Purchasing Board, for supply to American Armed Forces in the South Pacific Area. Details of such canned meat-supplies will be found in the paragraph entitled, " Supplies of Meat to the United States Armed Forces." MANUFACTURE OF DEHYDRATED MEAT AND CONTRACT WITH MINISTRY OF FOOD Further progress has been made in the manufacture of dehydrated meat. At the request of the United Kingdom Ministry of Food a large-scale dehydration plant was erected and came into operation in March, 1943. The plant has a production capacity of about 5,000 tons of dried meat per annum, when working to full capacity. The New Zealand Government has contracted with the United Kingdom Government to supply a minimum quantity of 2,500 tons of dehydrated meat during the calendar year 1943. At the request of the United Kingdom Ministry of Food New Zealand undertook to be in a position to increase this quantity to at least 5,000 tons in 1944. Advice has now been received that the quantity of dehydrated meat actually required from New Zealand for 1944 is 2,500 tons. The contract arrangements with the United Kingdom Ministry of Food provide that the prices to be paid by the Ministry are to be based on the frozen schedule prices for export meat, plus costs of processing, and a contribution towards the capital cost of the plant at the rate of 20 per cent, per annum spread over the period of the contract —viz., three years. It has been agreed that if at any time before the expiration of three years New Zealand is asked to cease production, the United Kingdom will make up its capital contribution to what would have accrued under the three-year contract —viz., 60 per cent. This contribution is, however, not necessarily limited to 60 per cent., since the Ministry would continue to contribute a further 20 per cent, in the event of a contract having to be made for 1946. It is estimated that the contract quantity of 2,500 tons of dehydrated meat is equal to 10,000 tons of boneless frozen meat and that shipment in the form of dehydrated' meat will save a corresponding amount of refrigerated space. Like canned meat, dehydrated meat is shipped in unrefrigerated space and it has the advantage over canned meat that, being more concentrated, it effects a considerable saving in tinplate. The classes of meat as present being dehydrated are bull and cow beef, but experiments have been made in the dehydration of veal mixed with beef and mutton, and the out-turn reports on trial shipments to the United Kingdom are at present being awaited with interest. PIG INDUSTRY The Pig Marketing Emergency Regulations 1943 were gazetted on the Ist April, 1943, and are administered by this Department. The regulations fix maximum prices at which pigs may be purchased by operators for slaughter, and prescribe the scale of basic values of frozen pig-meats acquired by the Department. Pursuant to these regulations, the Marketing Department on the 16th April, 1943, gave notice of its intention to acquire all frozen pig-meats, the object being to ensure that the available supplies of such pig-ineats were distributed in an equitable manner amongst the trade, having regard to the requirements of the Armed Forces and of the local civilian trade. As from the 20th May, 1943, the consumption of pork in New Zealand was prohibited by the Government, and the Marketing Department became the sole buyer of pork. With the object of encouraging producers to carry their pigs through the winter in order to obtain the maximum weight of pig-meats, special winter prices applicable from Ist June, 1943, were fixed by notice dated 29th July, 1943, under the regulations. These winter prices extended to the 30th September in the case of porkers and to the 31st October in the case of baconers. The Marketing Department's purchase-prices for frozen pig-meats were advanced proportionately to the increase in the " hooks " price of pigs during the winter period. A Pig-meats Advisory Committee, comprising representatives of the producers, operators, and bacon-curers, was set up by the Government in March, 1943, to advise the Marketing Department in connection with pig-meat supplies and allocations, having regard to the policy laid down by the Supply Council in regard to priorities.

18