HIGHER PRICES NEEDED

Chronicle (Levin), 17 April 1946, Page 3

HIGHER PRICES NEEDED

PIG MEAT PRODUCTION It was tlio view of dairy f armers that the cost of raising porkers and baconers was not suiiicicntiy rewarded in the present prices aceording to remarks made at a meeting of the provineial dairy produce section of Eederated Farmers at Marton yesterday. J/Lr, D. Legg (Feilding) quoted the prices farmers in England were paid for their porkers and baconers and these he declared were considerably higher than what the New Zealand farmer was paid. Low prices and the high cost of supplementary feed were responsible for the shortage of t'hese meats .today. There was no incentive to the farmer to carry on raising pigs. It had been established he said by a survey carried out by competent authorities that the cost of raising porkers to 80 to 90 lbs. was 6£d per lb. against the price received of 7-Jd per lb. Mr. C. A. Major (Turakina) agreed saying that the pig raising .industry required a stimulus and that he- suggested should be the granting of an increase in price to at least 9d per- lb. The country would quickly get the pigs if the price was increased and made payable to breeders. His opinion was . that the Government desired to restxict the priee and consequently the output. The Taranaki Pig Couneil survey had established that 9d per lb. was Tqquired to make the raising of pigs -worth while. A Taihape delegate said that lamb was now 9Ad per lb. while pork was 7£d per lb., yet it, cost more to raise a porker than it did to raise 6, lamb. It appeared that there was infinitely more work in the pig yard~to -get pigs away fat than there was to get lambs awav fat. The price was inrnortarvf,

and dairy farmers defmitely, needed'a higher price for their pig meats. • Mr. D. Young (Bulls) xemax&ed that six years ago barley for feeding cost 3s 4d per bushel while today- it cost 6s 7d per bushel and eonsidering the weight was aetually dearer than wheat. The cost of feed was an important question when it came to reaTing pigs. It was ; agreed to support representations for a higher price, favouring an incfease to at least 9d per Ibo