N.Z BACON INDUSTRY.

Shannon News, 16 October 1925, Page 3

N.Z BACON INDUSTRY.

SOME NEW PROPOSALS. There were fifteen people present to hear the proposals put forward at the Century Hall on Tuesday, in connection with the re-adjustment and re-organisation of the pig industry. Mr S. A. Broadbelt presided and Mr Lindsay Gardner, a representative of Messrs Dalgety and Co., who l made some very interesting observations on the subject, was also present, Mr Broadbelt said the question of selling the pig had been, the source of a good deal of trouble to the dairy fanner. Unfortunately, the farmer was prepared to take the least fraction of a penny per pound on the spot, rather than wait for the export price. The proposed organisation was in the nature of a mutual selling concern handling bacon pigs. If the New. Zealand market was good, it was the intention of the executive of tile organisation to sell the stuff locally. If, on the other hand, the export price was best, then the hulk of the pigs would go Home. Last year the Levin Dairy GO', did a small export business on its own, as it was dissatisfied with prices ruling locally, and thought a better price could be obtained fioru London. Sixty-five per cent, of ils pigs had been passed for export, and even the worst sale i more than cleared the price likely to have been paid by the bacon factories in New Zealand. The second consignment showed a very handsome profit, and were cleared at 6-J-d, which was highly satisfactory, considering that 5Jd was the probable price the bacon companies could have offered. Then, too, the export rejects were sold at very much more than the market rate. "Last year the Rata Dairy Co. put through on enormous number of pigs and were perfectly satisfied with the prices obtained through their •organisation. , A large number of dairy companies were going to participate in the new scheme, which was this.: That the Feilding Bacon Company is prepared to take all rejected pigs at a, good rate. The export pigs will be sold through Dalgety and Co. (who \yill he the agents of the organisation) and who are doing ail the business and arranging the finance. There were no risks or liabilities attached to the scheme, and farmers who sold their pigs through their own concern would reap the benefit! The unfortunate part of the present position was that suppliers were being influenced by buyers from bacon companies, who were telling them they will obtain better prices, with cash on the spot, by selling to the companies. That the price had fluctuated from sixpence to sevenpence half-penny within the. last fortnight showed the bacon companies were out to fight the farmers' co-oper-ative scheme, which scheme was an attempt to improve the position.- The costs of business would be railage, killed and examined, and if the etc., to Feilding, where they will be executive of the organisation proposed to sell locally, there would be no clearing charges. The pigs, will be graded into different classes, and a better price obtained in the London market than for the home-graded pig. With regard to export pigs up to 180 lbs, these will be paid for at fullweight less the usual statutory shrinkage of about 4 per cent, the difference between the hot and frozen weights. The reject pigs immediately become the property of the bacon company, and are paid for at the full market rate plus .one-fifth of a penny per lb.—quite a satisfactory arrangement, This price would be for pigs at the station. The question of condemned pigs had been a bone of contention, but it was agreed to inaugurate an insurance scheme to cover any risks such as pigs dying in transit, etc. The executive " were strongly in favour of this scheme. The estimated cost of killing and .export charges would amount to one-tenth of a penny per lb. plus a little more than twopence per lb. to send the pig from Wellington to London. - If it were decided to sell "on hooks" the cost would be about Jd per lb. If the suppliers had anv interest at all in co-operation, they should support the scheme.

Mr Gardner said the London value to-day, according to latest advice from the Meat Board, was 9Jd "spot" in London, for pigs of 120 to 180 lbs. in weight. That was to say, London puid on the full weight of the pigs, and the prospects of the Home market were very good. Both the Uulch and American markets were reported t 0 he very short in the supply of pigs, and'this was having a great bearing on the market. Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide had been keenly buying New Zealand hams. The local market, which was becoming abnormally high, was decidedly bad and the "idea which Mr Broadbelt had just propounded was to bring a stabilising element into the market in order to lift the New Zealand values up to London parity, if possible. For the unexportable portion of the consignment the producer would get immediate payment from the Fetldmg Bacon Company. Dalgety's, acting as agents, would nTalie an advance of the local market price less f.o.h. charges the latter being, of course, recouped by the farmer when his bacon was sold in London. With regard to weighing, the farmer was quite accustomed to placing a pig on the scales and then giving an estimated reduction for shrinkage. The Rata Dairy Co. had averaged from seven to eight lbs per pig .better than the estimated weights. The pigs would go alive to Feilding, under the new scheme, and the producer would receive payment for the actual cold '-freight of the animal. When the buy-

er came into the sty he was buying a. job lot of baconers, porkers, etc., but by selling on the hooks the pigs would be drafted, and buyers would come and select the desired quality and quantity. The true place for a buyer to buy pTgs was undoubtedly •on the hooks. v Look at what co-oper-ation had done for the fat lamb trade, and the cheese and butter industries. Their phenomenal increase had been due to placing the produce on the London market. About 60 or 65 per cent, of the pigs produced in New Zealand, were exportable. Porkers went to London, but baconers went to the West of England, are bought by curing concerns there, end sold as "English-cured bacon. By grading in New Zealand the porkers will be sold in London and the baconers sent direct to the individual towns. It took about 1400 pigs to make a parcel, and hence it was impossible for any single factory to obtain the requisite number. The pooling system overcame this difficulty, and with co-operative effort a parcel could be soon made up and as quickly sold. Every man should be made responsible for his condemned pigs for by enforcing this the losses would eventually prove very slight and the sties would be kept in order. If a man persisted in a high percentage of dead pigs that rrrtui would have to be shut out from the co-oper-ative organisation. Weighing of pigs would be done by the abattoir authorities who would also do the killing. The bacon industry in New Zealand was in its infancy, whereas in Denmark the farmers produced 'equal values of butter and bacon.

In reply to a statement that bacon companies were to-day. offering 7 l d per lb, Mr Broadbelt said that had it not been for the activities of the dairy companies the price would not have been anywhere near what it was, and if factories such as Rata, Cheltenham and Shannon were very interested in the projected scheme, the local farmers could rest assured it was going to he a very strong influence against any action of the bacon cOttnpanies. Mr W. Kilsby, seconded by Mr H. J. Lancaster, moved "That this meeting is unanimously in favour of dairy companies giving support to the cooperative exporting of bacon and recommends the suppliers of the Levin Dairy Co. to give it all possible support."—Carried. The meeting closed with the customary vote of thanks to the chair. PANDER and SONS' EJCALYPTT EXTRACT is manufactured under the personal supervision of a medical man. Before leaving the factory it is standardised so that the trademark is a guarantee of its quality—the highest antiseptic qualities of anv eutealvotus preparation. SANDER'S EXTRACT is not only the unrivalled enemy of coughs, colds, and influenza, but when taken internally prevents flatulence and indieesfion. the chief causes of that lansriirl tired feeling. SANDERS' EXTRACT is specially prepared and is invaluable in fhf treatment of rheumatism and sciatica. When applied to the affected parts SANDER'S EXTRACT will relieve the pain in a few minutes. Obtainable everywhere.*