PORK EXPORT.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19155, 11 November 1927, Page 9

PORK EXPORT.

INDUSTRY WITH A FUTURE.

PRODUCERS TO ORGANISE. The future of the pig industry in New Zealand was discussed at a public meeting called by the Canterbury Progress League and held last evening. Mr J. E. Strachan, the president of the League, was in the chair. Amongst those present were Messrs J. Fraser, general manager of the Meat Board, K. \V. Gorringe, instructor in swine husba'ndrv to the Department of Agriculture, b. Jouos, M.P., chairman of tho Meat Board. It. E. Alexander, director of Lincoln College, and M. J. Scott, agricultural instructor at Lincoln College. , .Mr Strachan expressed the League s pleasure at the response of tho publie to its invitation to attend the meeting. Mr G. IT. Holford, chairman of the committee of the League, said tho League had been approached to assist the pig producers, and the meeting was the result of this request.

The Export Trade. ' ; lf we are to develop our export trade in pork, it is essential that our foundation should be in order, that is, we must see that we have the correct breed of pig that will meet'" with the requirements of the Home trade," said Mr John Fraser. "In the development of,any trado the requirements of our customers should bo the first consideration, and as a commercial proposition it would naturally follow that if wo ship the right typo of pig, of good quality, we shall receive better prices than our competitors. We havo an example of this when we see what the Danes have done in producing a standardised pig which meets with the requirements of the British trade. The investigations mado by tho Board hav> led it to the conclusion that the largo white is the best pig to cross with existing types of pigs in the Dominion, and is in conformity with tho desires of the meat retailers in England. "Owing to the present embargo on the - importation into this Dominion of live stock from Great Britain, tho Board has been unable to introduce suitable purebred stock, but it has imported from Australia somo purcbrcl largo white pigs which were specially selected. The progeny will later be distributed by the Board throughout tho Dominion. At the present Royal Show in Chrißtchurch the Board is giving £l5O in prizes, distributed between the purebred large white classes and the best type of crossbred pig suitable for our export trade. Tho carcases of pigs entered in the export class will be shipped Homo and judged at Bmithfield.

Continuity of Supply. "In developing an export trade in pork, after type and quality, tho continuity of supplies is of next importance. During the last few years wo have shipped to Great 'Britain:— Carcases. 1923-1924 ... .. 4,943 1924-1925 ..' .. 35,753 1925-1926 .. .. 60/T57 1926-27 (to June 30th,only) 75,472 '

"In June of last year the Imperial Government announced an embargo on all fresh meat from the Continent of Europe. The effect of this on the pork market of the United Kingdom is referred to in the following extract from the annual report of the London Central Markets, SmithMd (for 1926): The increase in the marketing of homebred beef, mutton, and pork, compared with 1925, is satisfactory; but pigbreeding in the British Isles has some way to go before overtaking' the deficiency in the quantity of fresh pork caused by the embargo upon Dutchkilled pigs in June last. The deficiency 'may be put at 17,000 tons, or about half a-million 801b pigs; and, although Smithfleld prices were attractive, the combined efforts of British and Irish producers failed to counter-balance the shortage. Other countries were as badly off as the British Isles, and could not Bupply the class and weight pig in demand. New Zealand nearly filled the picture as regards quality, but lacked continuity of supplies. Heavy and unmarketable frozen pigs arrived from most of the pig-producing countries under the sun, but were only of use at a.low price for chopping and mincing purposes, or for use in the various foodfactories; they certainly were not of the type wanted by the London pork trade.

Light-Weights Wanted. "The embargo on freßh meat from the Continent has had the present effect of more Continental cured bacon going on to the British market, and in a letter received from the Board's London manager, under date of August 26th, 1927, he reports that there is always a good demand for light-weight pigs here, and our producers, for the immediate future at anyrate, should concentrate on shipping light-weight porkers rather than baconers. Commencing this season, the Board has instituted grade weights for porkers, and the Board's supervisors are giving close attention to the grading. In order to acquaint Home curers with the quality of our bacon the Board some time ago sent gratis a number of bacon pigs to different curers in the United Kingdom, and the general opinion as to the quality of our pigs was quite satisfactory, and has, no doubt, led to a greater enquiry for them. At the present moment experiments are being carried out at the Cambridge Research Station (England) regarding the storage of pigs.

Monetary Assistance. "Although it is generally known that the Board has been endeavouring to fosfer an export trade in pork, it has been asked: What has the Board done from a monetary point of view to help the industry t At the inception of the Board the freight rate on pork was lfd per lb, plus 2* per cent. The Board recognised that this was an export industry, which must be helped, and on its own initiative specially arranged with the sh>; /,-.£ companies for a low shipping - r itt(. uu pork, so that to-day the rate on pork is reduced to about half what it was in 1922, and the difference on a 1301b pig would amount to 9s 3d, which is equal to over threefarthings per lb. To-day the freight rates to .the United Kingdom from this Dominion are: Pork, .81d; lamb, 1.18 d; mutton, l.Olld. The total freight reductions obtained by the Board in the various shipping contracts made up to the present year amount to: On a 1301b pig, 9s 3d; on a 601b sheep, 3s 3d; on a 351b lamb, Is 9d. These figures speak for themselves, and the special concession made in regard to the shipping freight rates on pork may be looked upon as practically a subsidy given by the Board to encourage the industry. I may here mention that the present freight rate on pork from Australia to the United Kingdom is ljd lb, which is .315 d over our present freight rate on pork. "In addition to these reductions in freight rates, it is of interest to note other economies which have come into effect since 1922, such as insurance rates, which have been materially reduced on all classes of meat, and which is, no doubt, largely due to the strict inspection by the Board's officers in the 'supervision of the loading and unloading of all meat at both ends, and the improvements which the Board has been able to bring into effect. This rigid inspection of handling is also shown in the condition of our meat when displayed en SmittMd, It par.

also be mentioned that when Un railway tariffs were altered in Jul/, IMS, the Board was successful in leeviig a lower rate on lire pigs to the extent of 7J per cent., as compared with other livestock."

Research at Lincoln. Mr Scott dealt with research work 4hat had been conducted at Lincoln College. They had held pip-feeding trials at tho college, under ideal conditions, and had also had farmers feeding pigs under actual farming conditions. It was gratifying to find that the farmers, so long as they used tho right feed, had been as successful as tho college, and shown thoy knew as much about pigs. The first essontial in povk and bacon production was that tho pigs should be fed the right kind of food aud at the time when thev would show the

largest return for that feeding. The finding of the most "thrifty" pig was absolutely necessary before anything could be done. They must bo cautious in the manner of developing the industry. They must have a better type of herd, and such herds could only gradually be built up. Ho was convinced that lid a pound was tho lowest price at which pork produced for the export trade.

Canterbury's Decrease

Mr Gorringe said that over a number of years past pig stocks had been fluctuating very greatly. Years ago Canterbury had had more, pig stock than any other province, but the number had fallen until the province was forced to obtain part of its pork from the North Island. The greatest fall was in Ashburtou and next came the Ellesmcre district. It was only on account of tho energy of tho West Coast pooplo sinco the tunnel was oponed that Canterbury was not in a very bad position. Favourably situated as it was, tho province should bo ablo to grow pork for export as well ns supply tho demand of its own province. It was essential that tho right typo of pig for breeding should bo found, as had beon done in Denmark and Holland. A voice: What about America with ovory typo of pig in the world t Mr Gorringe: Yes, and producing th» poorost type of pork in tho world. They had to aoloct a certain type, Mr Gorringo continued, and then to produce a certain amount of pork and bacon every year. The Homo buyers had indicated that they preferred uniformity of typo. It had beon suggested that tho largo white Berkshiro cross Bhould be specialised in, but New Zealand had made its. name on tho Tnm-worth-Borkshiro cross. Ho considered they Bhould proceed along those linen. They could do well with tho large White for England, but many English buyers would turn down the large White of Denmark in favour of tho TamworthBorkshiro from Now Zealand if they could get it. It was just a question as to which they should stabilise, but thny must stabilise one or tho other. The basis to work on Wat, he considered, 5d a pound, and he had grown them for 2}d. A voico: Did it p»y you t—-Yes, it pays well. "Tho pig has forty-four teeth to use," said Mr Gorringe. "Why not let him use them instead of turning him into a suction machine." By growing the right fodder and at the fight time they could graze the pigs instead of continually feeding them in their I pens, and make a handsome profit at 5d a pound.

Economic Production. Mr Alexander said it was no good talking about producing pork at 2£d a. pound in these dayß. The first thing was to determine whether New Zealand could produce economically, and it had been proved that that could be done as economically as in any other country in the world. Next it was necessary to send the pigs Home and get the Home \ market reports on tliem, not discuss the respective merits of breeds. ■• Mr C. Morgan Williams gave examples of his own experience in raising pigs at ff profit through carefully considering breed and feeding. Mr L. C. Walker said that tho pig producers needed an organisation to protect themselves. Ho looked forward to the time when the Meat Board would be more than amateurs in regard to pigs. The cost of grain for pig production would have to be brought down in the South Island, and he hoped that : the Meat Board would investigate the efficiency of the partridge pea as an economical grain for the pig producer to use. The Meat Board was doing the industry no good in sending boats round the small ports. It was impossible" for a man to export bacon when the boat it was loaded on wandered round New Zealand before leaving for Home. Brains were needed for the perfection of an organisation in the Dominion, and brains seemed to be at a discount. Organisation formed. Mr D. Jones pointed out that the work of developing the pig industry in New' Zealand was that of the Department of Agriculture, and not that of the Meat Board. The Meat Board bad its job when the pig was produced. The big question was- not that of the cost of production or of the ports called at, but whether New Zealand could produce pork at the price that was available at Home. There was practically an unlimited market for pigs at Home, and the question was whether New Zealand producers could produce them at the price available on the London market.

Mr Scott supported Mr Jones' remarks. At Lincoln College they needed further information, and they would be greatly assisted if more farmers offered to come forward and undertake investigation, and if those with a knowledge of the problems of pig production' would come forward as an advisory board. As an alternative, if cash were made available to the college, it would be possible to obtain valuable facts and information concerning the industry. A committee consisting of Messrs CL Morgan Williams (Ohoka), J. H- Moore (Bromley), J. Chilton (Bicearton), H. Morton (Belfast), J. P. Bashford (Biocarton), W. T. Green (Burwood), L. C. Walker (Islington), H. Galpin (Soutfci bridge) was set up. This committee will co-operate with Lincoln College and any other similar organisation in matters dealing with the economic production of pigs in Canterbury and New Zealand generally.

Mr J. Studholme moved a vote of thanks to the League for calling sne meeting, -which was carried.