LAMB, BACON, AND BUTTER

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22509, 17 September 1938, Page 13

LAMB, BACON, AND BUTTER

THE ENGLISH MARKET

DR. JOHN HAMMOND'S VIEWS

LONDON, August 10.

Fat lamb producers in this country have In the last week been shown how their industry is failing because of its inferior organisation when compared with the methods used in New Zealand.

Dr. John Hammond, of Cambridge University, freshly returned from his visit to the Dominion and Australia, has been endeavouring to answer for British farmers their perplexing problem of how to improve their sheepraising arid make it pay. The Sydney Conference of Empire Primary Producers resolved that British producers should have first right to their own market. But how is this to be given effect,. Dr. Hammond says. Cutting idown imports of. Dominion produce will not, do it;-for in this last spring the imports weiSe lower than in the previous year and yet the prices of English lambs lower than in the previous year! Year in' and year out the prices for English mutton and lamb are highest in the spring (from February to June), when 1 the English supplies in the market • are lowest, and lowest from July to November, when English supplies are highest. At the latr ter time," however, the imports of Dominion mutton and lamb are at their lowest, while from February to June they are at their highest. Thus, adds Dri Hammond, the real competitors to English lamb on the; market are other English lambs, and riot those from the Dominions. The reason he sees for the decrease in the;price of English meat when the production-increases is that the British -..farmers' market is limited to the countryside and the country towns. The Dominions, with their superior organisation, have been concentrating -on selling in the cities. For many years the populations of the cities have been increasing while those of the Countryside have been dirriinishing and Dr. Hammond, with the knowledge he riow possesses of the Australian; and ;New Zealand industries, wisely advises the -, ; British farmers

to organise their marketing, even though it is rather late in the day. Bacon Pig Contracts

Producers of bacon pigs are mildly pleased with the provisions of the new eiacon Industry Act,' just placed on the Statute Book, alter the usual amount of delay invariably accompanying the introduction of any legislation affecting the iarming industry in this country. December 1 has been fixed by the Minister as the beginning of the first contract period, -and' contract negotiations- are to start almost forthwith. A Bacon Development Board has been set up to direct policy and marketing boards will carry out detailed administration among their area constituents. As from August 4 Lt was and will be an offence to produce bacon on premises which are not licensed by the Development Board or exempted from the necessity of having a licence, and between October 1 and December 1, sales and purchases of bacon pigs will under arrangements to be made by the Bacon Development Board, the marketing arrangements of the Pigs and Bacon Marketing Schemes ceasing to have effect after the former date. The contract will probably come before producers at the end of September or beginning of October and it will fix the price to be paid for the standard pig delivered at theproducer's nearest "railway Bta-' tion. These monthly prices wilL average 12s 6d in the first year, 12s 5d in the second, and 12s 3d in the third, and the maximum quantity of pigs will be 2.100,000 in the first year 2,400,000 in the second, and 2,500.000 in the third. Thus the producers are assured of a guaranteed price. The standard weight, quality, and kind for the "standard" r>ig have yet to be fixed by the Minister, A subsidy on the cost of the feeding ration, when it exceeds 83 Bd. will be available to the producer, but when the ration costs less than 8s 6d, the. difference will have to be refunded. Premiums will also be available on certain conditions. The scheme is generally welcomed, as providing the broadest form of rationalisation yet introduced in connexion with Britain's bacon industry.

Britain Eats Leas Batter British people ate less butter arid cheese and fewer eggs in 1937 than in the previous year, according to statistical information now available. However, there was an increase in the amount of margarine consumed. Figures a, head of the population, given in the annual review of dairy produce issued by the Imperial Economic Committee, show that the consumption of butter "was 24.81 b as compared with 251 b in 1936, and that margarine consumption increased from 8.61 b to 8.91 b, while cheese decreased from 91b to B.Blb, and eggs eaten a. head were 156. as compared with 158 in 1936. Higher prices caused a considerable increase in dairy produce imports, which were accompanied by a considerable reduction in home Eroduction of butter, cheese, eggs, and aeon. A part cause of this was the high price of feeding stuffs. Public purchasing power decreased during the year, and there was a fall in consumption particularly marked in the case of butter. The imports of this commodity were the lowest for any year since 1933, but the cheese imports were greater than in 1936.

According to well-accepted precedents the lambing this season in Canterbury should be disappointing. The season was cold and wet and feed was scarce throughout the winter. Strangely enough, however, the percentage of lambs reported has been remarkably good. Several farmers have mentioned to "Straggler" that they are more than surprised at the drop so far. Many ewes are low in condition and there may be increased losses through lack of.milk and a condition conducive to pest troubles, but twins are unusually plentiful on many farms. This prolificacy also appears to be marked on the other side of the ranges, where last week the . lambing appeared to be further forward than on this side. Ewes are looking in good order on the Coast, and apparently with more natural herbage for them to exist on pest troubles "are a matter of comparatively small concern. •