NEW ZEALAND EGGS.

Shannon News, 2 September 1924, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND EGGS.

THE EXPORT SEASON. FIRST SHIPMENT END OF THE MONTH. , “What are the prospects fox;.the export of New Zealand eggs this season?” asked a Times representative on Friday of Mr A. E. Palmer, secretary to tlie Wellington District Poultry Farmers’ Association, Ltd. “Is it) anticipated that the supply will be in i excess oi the local demand at a paying price to the producers?” j “Yes, there will be a considerable j surplus,” replied Mr Palmer; “and I certainly think that, unless good numbers are expected ithei price during the ! coining season will decline to' such ail extent that the poultry-keeper, in view ! of dear {pod, will experience a diffi-1 •ulty in making ends meet. There is • a very heavy carry-over of egg pulp 1 from last season, so that only a mini- ' mum quantity of pulp will be requir- j -ed from this season’s eggs. This being so, unless the producers realise the necessity for sending in more of their eggs for export, the prospects, so far as the local trade is concerned., look anything but bright. I do not consider that the average egg producer thoroughly realises the position. In . the Wellington province the work ol exporting eggs is only being taken" up by the Wellington District Poultry ( Farmers’ Association, which comprises only a limited number of producers in the Wellington and. surrounding districts. NEED FOR DEVELOPING EXPORT ! TRADE.

“We had hoped for much better support- from those poultry men who do not market their eggs through our organisation;, but, as the desired support is apparently not forthcoming, I am compelled to cancel much of the shipping space hooked on the various vessels leaving during the next two months. The Ayholesale price of eggs in this city is at present Is 4d per dozen, which after deducting the usual market charges leaves but a small margin of profit to the producer. The poultrymen can, therefore, S ee that if a good percentage of this season’s eggs is not exported, the quantity placed on file local market will necessarily tend to lower this price until it Avfil shOAV the producer a loss instead Ql a profit. "1 can 'only say that the New Zealand Poultry Association and our local organisation have made every effort to induce those in charge of the egg collecting in this city tq join up With the export movement; hut, unfortunately, -without sucess. The prosperity ql' New Zealand’s primary industries has in every case keen built up by developing the export trade; and, if the poultry industry is to flourish, fire matter of exporting any surplus not required for local consumption must be seriously taken up by ail those who have the future welfare of the industry at heart.” FOUR SHIPMENTS IN VIEW. “The first shipment of eggs for the season,” added Mr Palmer, “is going by the Port Curtis at the end of Auguse, and the next shipments go by the Port Denison and the lonic about September 18th or 20tjh; while space for another shipment* is booked on a vessel leaving about the middle of October. .The’first shipment consists of 450 boxes in all from the various centres; and, as each box. contains 30 dozen eggs, file shipment will total 13,500 dozen eggs. The packing has been very effectively organised, the Harbour Board cheese store being used as a depot, as was the case last season, and the experience gained last year enables those in charge to get through with the work with great neatness a*nd dispatch. The eggs are packed in very attractive looking crates under the best possible conditions, and upon each crate .appears a handsome and most, effective label, in red, Avhite and blue", showing a handsome Avhite leghorn hen and a plate of a dozen, eggs. The legend, ‘NeAv Zealand Eggs,’ NeAv Laid,’ appears in big plain type on the label, which also bears the official grading stamp of the Department of Agriculture,' and a stamp setting forth the number and grade of eggs in the case, the colour of the eggs (broAvn or Avhite), and the weight per ‘long hundred’ of 120.”