THE PIG INDUSTRY

Hokitika Guardian, 4 January 1933, Page 2

THE PIG INDUSTRY

NEW COMMITTEE'S WORE

PRODUCTION AND MARKETING

The establishment of a system of gradino- of ipigs is one of the- most important- questions which the recentlyconstituted Pig Industry Committee will be called upon to deal with, according to a statement by the Dir-ector-General of Agriculture, Dr. C. J. Rcakes, in. his annual report.

“While our sheep and dairying industries have progressed steadily, for years,”. Dr. Reakes says, “and .the volume of exports derived from them has shown a. marked increase, the pig industry has made little or no real progress, and to-day, as was the case 10 years ago, pigs are regarded as mainly a means of using up dairying products and nothing more. Yet New Zealand is eminently adapted for P’g production on a large -scale. Onr pork has a good reputation on British markets and a much greater quantity could have been exported without any fear of over-supply.

EXPORT POSSIBILITIES. “It has always been difficult to understand why New Zealand fanners, who, in most respects ar e quick in a op mg improved and progressive methods in production and marketing, have failed to make use of their opportunities for building up a large export trade ’ n pork, in spite "of the efforts made by advice and general propaganda to induce them 15 do so. Th e food question hfts no doubt been a -factor in this, but the cost involved by the purchase of foodstuffs c<mld be lardy avoided if more' pig provender were produced on the farm itself.. . ‘A’ further, point is that in meatmeal now a well-prepared article, a large' supply of highly-concenlratea food is now available in the Dominion at a very reasonable cost considering its high feeding value. In combination with roots, it makes a well-balanced food on which pigs do well. Certain. y of late years the type of pig produced has shown some -■ improvement and a greater " interest, in pig production is noticeable. ' The' ; establishment of a pig recording club in the'Waikato, assisted by a grant 1 from-the -Meat Board, was a progressive move, and it is hoped that • similar .'organisations will be established in other dairying districts.”

SYSTEM OF GRADING. After ' referring .to the constitution of the Pig Industry Committee, Dr Reakes adds in his report that one important matter,for discussion by the committee is the establishment of a properly-organised ' system of giading pigs whether intended for export or for local consumption, through the medium of bacon factories, Recommendations regarding this would be submitted in due course. ‘‘Such ri. system would go far toward establishing improvement both in type iand in quality, for which there is plenty of scope,” he states. “The co-oner-ation of freezing companies and others concerned is confidently anticipated as, though for ,the time being, the overseas market for baon pigs is unprofitable there is so good an opportunity for' considerably expanding our export of pigs of the porker type that it should he, taken advantage of to the fullest extent available.”