THE PIG INDUSTRY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 80, 11 June 1943, Page 4

THE PIG INDUSTRY

GENERAL DECLINE FEARED

INABILITY

TO MEET DEMAND

Fears were expressed by the speakers of the East Coast Dairy Association Avhich met at. Whakatane last Saturday that the undertakings of tlie Government of this 'country to supply so many substantial lines of food commodities to our American Allies under Reciprocal Aid reverse Lease-Lend policy, could not be fulfilled under the present stringent circumstances of the primary industries to-day. Mr Rolandson (Te Puke) referred to the figures giA'en by Mr Nash in his Budget address details of Avhich were: — Meat and vegetable ration 4,200,OOOibs; potatoes .48,300,000; apples 21800,000; service biscuits 3,200,000; butter 14,200,000; pork 15,4U0,000; mutton 14,000,000; ham 7,800,000; beef 46,8.00,000; bacon 15,400,000 (corned) 8,100,000. The value of these items in New Zealand currency is £(>,500,000. The additional £2,500000 comprises such items as cereals, vegetables (fresh and canned), fresh fruit, cheese, jams, sauces.and pickles. Other speakers claimed that the pig industry Avas so much on the. decline as a result of the poor prices offered the farmers, that."there Avas no prospect at all of meeting such a huge demand and at the same time of maintaining ordinary production for export anil, home consumption. Mr A. J. Murdoch, member of the New Zealand Dairy Board, avlio Avas present said that the 1 e.ytra %d per lb promised for pigs during June and July should in all fairness be made a permanent increase in order to encourage the industry. He had heard of cases in Taranaki Avherc the farmers Ave.ro pouring .the Avhey down the drain and in some cases their skim milk also. This Avas utterly Avrong and should be stopped. The best Avay of stopping it Avas by encouraging pig farming by offering a reasonable return. In the. past farmers had been the victims of systematic and periodic changing of Aveights of pigs required. This perhaps had been the most discouraging feature of. all. Speaking to an American serviceman on leave, in this country he< had learnt that in the States pigs Avere grown up to IJOOlbs and lambs, Avere killed out at 001 bs. Why could not the same system be followed out in this country Avhen quantity -was so much in demand. '