Belgium Captures London Egg Market

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 668, 21 May 1929, Page 10

Belgium Captures London Egg Market

COMPETITION WITH N.Z. CONDITIONS INVESTIGATED New Zealand and Australian eggs will not realise past prices on the London market. This is the opinion of Mr. Alec. J. Harrison, managing director of the Victorian Egg Federation, who returned by the Niagara from a world tour, in which he investigated the possibilities of the egg market abroad. During his trip Mr. Harrison visited England, Ireland. Germany, Holland, Denmark and Canada. “It seemed to me that every country I visited is in a state of home production,” he said. “The market for us will never again be what it was in the past. New Zealand and Australia, although their eggs always find a place on the London market, will never again command the prices they did a few years ago.” Mr. Harrison said that Belgium is the greatest competitor. Last year that country exported 700,000,000 dozen eggs, and this year hopes to export 1,000,000,000 dozen. “The egg producers in Belgium have a most wonderful organisation,” continued Mr. Harrison. “It consists of 150,000 members. All the eggs for export are selected, packed, and sent to the London and German markets. They land their produce in London at less than threepence a dozen, whereas it costs us sixpence to sevenpence. In addition to this their eggs are just as fresh as the English production. NEW ZEALAND EGGS SUPERIOR “They also have the secret of producing eggs during the winter time when there is a good demand for them, and they have made a special study of shell formation, which is most important for export." In London Mr. Harrison saw numbers of eggs from New Zealand, and he thought that they were well packed and graded and altogether a superior product. He thinks that the national marketing scheme may help New Zealand and Australia. This means that every egg is stamped with the country of its origin. A good deal of propaganda against the Chinese frozen egg has been started In London, and this will tend to help the sale of eggs from this side of the world. Mr. Harrison says he does not think that the industry should be boosted in New Zealand at present. Neither does he think that the Government can continue to subsidise the industry.