CANTERBURY SHIPS ITS FIRST MILLION EGGS

Shannon News, 19 December 1924, Page 4

CANTERBURY SHIPS ITS FIRST MILLION EGGS

(By J. B. Merrett, in the “N.Z. Poultry Journal.”)

Canterbury egg producers are to be congratulated on the export for 1924. They bold the honour of being the first province in New Zealand to export its first million’ eggs. The total shipments this season from Christchurch have been 3052 cases, or 1,098,360 eggs. This is a splendid return for the season. Otago comes second on the list with 1618 cases, or 580,480 eggs; Wellington third with 1365- cases. Auckland will do about 800 cases. The figures are not yet to hand. The South has been most unfortunate in the securing of ships, and nearly haif the eggs from Christchurch had to be transhipped to Wellington. This expense ( and trouble did not frighten the Canterbury Coop. Poultry Producers, Ltd. Had the whole of the southern eggs been placed on the local markets this season it would have meant a loss of over £6OOO to producers. It shows what can be done, and next season the south is out to double its figures. - Not half the producers have been organised, and the export could very easily be doubled. Producers must give export their Attention if the industry is to go ahead. We have been in close touch with the industry for many years, and in our opinion the prospect was never brighter but there must be organisation for export. This is work for men interested in a large way. The ordinary man or farmer with 100 birds will not do the work. On the one hand,-, the former has his weekly wage, and .the other has his farm to support him, but thef big producer is dependent on' his egg production. It is for him to organise the export and guarantee supplies. We hope to help him along this dine for next season, apd believe we can count on his support. Shippers of eggs this season have done the industry .in New Zealand a good service. A word of praise is due to the New Zealand Department of Agriculture. The Government has done everything in its power to .assist. In fact, they are the guarantee behind the job; Were •it not for their care in the grading, no one would care to risk the finance for export Reports from London state that the eggs arrived m excellent condition, and that the demand has been good.