PORK INDUSTRY

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 17 June 1933, Page 7

PORK INDUSTRY

SCOPE FOR DEVELOPMENT ERITISH MARKET PROSPECTS. PIG MARKETING ACTIVITIES. The importance of the pork industry to New Zealand was emphasised by Mr. W. A. Phillips, chairman of directors of the New- Zealand Co-operative Pig Marketing Association, in an interview. Mr. Phillips pointed out that the prospects for the profitable development of the pork industry had never been brighter. It was evident; he said, that the British Government was determined to protect by restriction of foreign imports the pig and other primary producers on the Home market, and provided that our ow*n Government took the necessary steps to ensure the free and unrestricted entry' of our primary products, the outlook for the oig traded was most promising.

In evidence of their confidence in this view, his- company had recently signed a contract with their market.ng agents, who were about to establish a factory iii the United Kingdom to cure for sale on the English market, his company’s exports of frozen pigs, thus obtaining for producers in New Zealand the benefits heretofore denied them of the profitable advantages of the British consumers’ trade. As an indication of the scope of improvement to the New Zealand_ pioducers in this direction, it was interesting to note that whilst the c.i.f. market for frozen baeoners, since the inception of the restrictions imposed by the British Goverment on foreign bacon imports, had only increased Lv 1 -l per lb. the wholesale price of Danish bacon had, during the same period, increased from 52s to 75s per ewt. OUTLET FOR BACONERS. A further interesting and significant observation on the perfection of the Danish co-operative selling organisation in the United Kingdom, stressed bv Mr. Phillips, was the fact that whilst the British Government reduced imports of Danish bacon by 20 per cent, on last year’s figures, the price of their produce had risen by 42 per cent, since November. A direct result of this latest development would be that farmers would have an outlet not only for porkers, as in the past, but also for baeoners.

Concerning the activities of the New Zealand 00-operative Pig Marketing Association, Mr. Phillips -stated that it was' the only, co-operative organisation whose operations embraced the whole of the North Island. Some idea o? its progress could be gauged from the fact that after a turnover last year of 21,000 pigs, their exports for

the current year, will exceed 75.000 4S, with a sterling turnover of over £175,000. The association has received pigs from some 4.850 suppliers this year as compared with 1781 last season. In the best previous season the association had 3800 suppliers. COMBINED MARKETING. It was his board’s objective to develop ail organisation with a national scopq, and thereby secure for producers, the. benefits of combined marketing through one channel on the English market. Practically the whole of the confs product this year has been sold on consignment through one concern, thus avoiding competition amongst brokers themselves. It was generally conceded, he said, that co-operative effort in New Zealand, both in respect of tlje production and manufacture of (farmers’ products, had reavthed a standard second to none in the world. Unfortunately much of the 'benefits therefrom were lost in the multiplicity of channels, all virtually in competition with one another, through which these products are sold on the world’s markets. Mr Phillips also mentioned that the export operations of hip company wore being extended this year to include bobby veal, in which direction it was hoped to provide continuous ployment for its organisation. . This trade commences with Die closing of the normal pig season in Now Zeauud on May 31. Owing to the rapid growth of this co-operative enterprise, Mr. Phillips ha,s "found it necessary to retire from toe active management of the Wat one Vf odel Piggeries, Ltd., to enable hmi to devote more of his energies to the