PIG MARKETING.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 262, 15 November 1928, Page 6

PIG MARKETING.

, OPERATIONS IN OCTOBER. The New Zealand. Pig-Marketing [Association reports as follows on the during October. “ The month has shown a very marked increase in the number of pigs coming to hand. Pigs are now going into the works at the rate of about 1000 per week, and there is ievery indication that within another month this number will be doubled. 'Owing to the steadily increasing supplies, it was found necessary at the end of October to open Horotiu works

end fell pigs from str tClona , south of Horotiu, including the Bay 0 f Plenty, are now consigned to t,iie works. “ Identification. —Tine association is rapidly switching over to the new system of identification, and where reasonable care is taken by the trucker, this system is giving complete satisfaction. Needless to say, if the wrong ear is marked on a pig, or the mark is put in the wrong position on an ear, the system breaks down; but if truckers are careful, no trouble will be experienced. A few stations are still operating on the ringing system, but these are being switched over as ear punches come to hand. There is a considerable saving of work to the trucker under the new system.

, of Bacon. Several | schemes .. , , . 1 warf nave recently been put for- j . . for the export of bacon to the \ united Kingdom. The question of exporting bacon to England was very carefully investigated some six months ago by the association’s agent, who stated that it was absolutely impossible for us to compete in price with the cheap ■Continental bacons which are pouring into the i United Kingdom. Any attempt on our part, moreover, to export bacon would rouse up the curers in Great Britain. They therefore strongly urged us on no account to have anything to do with the curing of bacon for export. | In view of the recent discussion on the matter, the association has again investigated the question of exporting bacon to the United Kingdom, and has received the same report - that any attempt in this direction would end disastrously. One agent went so far as to state that if the pigs were given to us free we should probably lose money on the business. The association therefore does not intend to do anything in this direction. What it is aiming to do, however, is to prepare and grade Its carcases to meet the requirements of the English curer and it is hoped by this means to establish a regular connection for our produce. “Local Bacon. —(Prices). Orders continue to come in freely for ham and bacon, prices at the moment being: Hams Is 2d, long sides Is o£d, and sides llid. Any fall in prices will be immediately passed on to the suppliers.

“ Market Reports.—Latest reports from London indicate that the market for porkers, which has been depressed for some little time, is tending to firm. The market for baconers is also firm at a satisfactory figure. The association is getting the pigs out of the country as quickly as they come forward, in order to stabilise the New Zealand market.”