EXPORT OF PIGS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 225, 21 September 1940, Page 5

EXPORT OF PIGS.

NEW BACONER WEIGHTS. CONTRACT WITH BRITAIN. WELLINGTON. Friday. An alteration in the weights of baconers for th« United Kingdom market was announced this evening by the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Lee Martin, who said the adjustment was mainly one of marketing and would not mean sn added burden to farmers Intent on producing baconers this year. "The contract with the United Kingdom Government for the supply of pig meat, both baconer and poxker. has not yet been completed." said Mr. Lee Martin. "However, certain modifications of the weight range of last year have been agreed to. As these have a direct bearing on management it is important they should be known by all pig producers immediately. The United Kingdom has Insisted that baconer carcases should be not less than 1111b and not more than 1801b. Any carcase up to 1101b will now be classed as porker and the raising of the minimum weight of a baconer from 1011b to 1111b naturally will reduce our total tonnage of baconers unless farmers concentrate on the production of animals above 1111b. As the United Kingdom is anxious for us to supply her with the maximum tonnage of baconers we can produce from our resources, all farmers are urged to see that as few porkers arc killed for export as possible, particularly during the spring and summer. "The other change in the weight schedule Is definite, an upper limit of 1801b for baconers. In the season just passed some pigs over 1801b could be exported as baconers in the form of Wiltshire sides. For the forthcoming season the maximum Wiltshire sides has been reduced from 901b to 801b. This will exclude all pigs over 1801b being classed as baconers. Any above that weight o°« ( ?~? ia ? e to k* exported as choppers at a price 2 9-16 d less than that paid for baconers. The farmer, therefore, should direct management so as to produce as few porkers as possible and avoid bringing any baconers above 1801b."—(Press Assn.)