EXPORT ORGANISATION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 February 1939, Page 6 (Supplement)

EXPORT ORGANISATION

WORK OF THE MEAT PRODUCERS’

BOARD

Story of Remarkable Expansion

of Activities

CONDITIONS OF CONTINUED SUCCESS

(.Specially written for the "Wairarapa Times-Age” by Sir William Perry.)

Since the inception of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board in 1922, its policy has been at all times to safeguard the interests of farmers and to en-

deavour in every possible way to create a healthy buying competition iff the Dominion, and also by means of a carefully planned system of regulation of shipments to the United Kingdom to specially guard against periods of glut and scarcity. It has also been the board's policy to do everything possible to reduce the various intervening costs between the producer- and the consumer: realising, as it does, that though market prices may rise or fall, every charge as between the meat producers of this Dominion and the consumer at Home remains more or les fixed, so that, whatever reductions are secured in these costs, they represent an increase in the net return which the farmer obtains for his labour and capital invested. The board has also kept shipping arrangements in its own hands, and has provided for the small farmer shipping on his own account to be charged the samp freight as the largest operator.

Today the farmer can sell his stock either at the schedule price offered "on the hoof” at the farm, or "on the hooks" at the freezing works. If he is dissatisfied with the price offered by buyers in the IDominion he has facilities in every district for killing and shipping on his own account, and so testing the London market for himself. The activities of the board are varied, and include the supervision of the grading and the handling of meat, and advertising throughout' the length and breadth of Great Britain.

ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN- < As regards advertising, in its activp policy of keeping New Zealand meat permanently befqj-e the consumer and meat trade in Great Britain, the board earmarks three-quarters of its total income. This continuous propaganda has placed New Zealand lamb and mutton in a unique position on the British market and every year the position of New Zealand meat is being even more widely and firmly established with bqth retailer and consumer. No other meat and very few other commodities obtain a fractional part of the publicity given to New Zealand mpat in Great Britain.

The supervision of the grading of all classes of meat slaughtered for export at the various freezing works, receives close attention by tpe hoard’s staff of travelling supervising gracjprs. The loading and discharge of vessels is also the subject of careful inspection by the board’s officers. 'Recently’ the board’s staff was augmented in order to deal with the increasing quantity of baponer pigs and chiller cattle now being treated 'at the various works in the North Island TIIP increased staff has enabled' elospr supervision to be maintained both jn regard to the grading of all classes of meat and to the supervision of the loading vessels.

The premium New Zealand has always speured in the United Kingdopi over that obtained by other mutton and lamb exporting countries is due to quality and every endeavour is made by the board to see that, this premium is maintained or increased. Q,qr reputation on t|ie British rqayket has been built up and maintained on cjuality and it cannot he stressed Too much that we must rriqintain that es? sential factor at all costs.

Recently the board communicated with the sheep breed societies in the Dominion asking them to endeavour in every way possible to influence their members in the direction of producing a type of sheep which will best suit for the production of the ideal larnh. DISTRICT LAMB COMPETITION. The Annual District Fat Lamb Competition, inaugurated by the board in 193] with the object of improving the quality of export lambs, has proved to be of great educational value to farmers and also serves as an excellent medium for advertising our lambs when displayed on Smithfield. The large gatherings of farmers at freezing works where the lambs are viewed prior to being shipped, demonstrate the interest which is now being taken in these competitions throughout lhe Dominion. With a view to creating still greater interest in these competitions, the board decided last year to supplement the amount hitherto donated, by making a grant to the controlling A. and P. Association for each district to be allocated as prize-money as it thinks best. It was also decided to present, a diploma to the winners of the board’.: cash prizes in each Island and in addition a diploma to the-owners of the best 15 pens selected to represent their district’s entry to be shipped Home for display and judging on Smith? field.

It is a matter of considerable pride and pleasure to rne, as the Wairarapa representative on Ihe board, to record that the Wairarapa district has been successful in winning the board’s Silver Challenge Shield for the North Island for four years out of the seven contests so far decided and also in corning second on two other occasions. 'This is a splendid performance and reflects great credit on the farmers of the Wairarapa district. CHILLED BEEF TRADE. In addition to the Annual District Larnb Competitions, the board donates substantial prizes at the Royal Show for lambs, pigs and chilled beef. With a view to encouraging farmers ip improve the quality and to further expand our chilled beef trade, the board is now giving substantial prizes in the various districts in The North Island, has made for a number of years for where chiller cattle are produced.

It is very interesting to note the remarkable development which has taken place since the inauguration of our chilled beef export trade as is shown by the following figures:— Quarters Season 1933/34 19,576 Season 1934/35 64,514 Season 1935/36 144,169 Season 1936/37 201,105 Season 1937/38 238.515 Ip. pre-war days, New Zealand had a good frozen beef trade be? fpre the Argentine started the expor; of chilled beef which killed the export of frozen beef from Nevy Zpaland- The following fig- • ures speak for themselves: Total exports of beef (including veal) frprp New Zea|qpcl in 1937 amounted to 50,720 tops. The export of beef from the Argentine in that year was 380,235 tons. In common justice, New Zealand should be allowed to increase her exports of beef to’ Britain,

In developing the export trade ..in chilled, beef it is of the utmost importance that the product should, if possible, be continuously on the market. Being so far away from the United Kingdom makes it exceedingly difficult to spread our landings throughout each month, and this is a matter which the boarq has bpc-n continually striving fo;’. Having regard, to die seasonal conditions in thp Uorth Island, most of our fat cattle are ready for slaughter in March, April and May, sometimes extending into June and July. This iipforlunately fesqlls in a great deal of our chilled bepf being landed in ’t|ie' United Kingdom during thp hottest months, and in addition cqjriipg into competition, with the majn supplies from Australia. If it were possible to spread our shipments more evenly throughout the year it would not only be beneficial to our trade, but would also be a great help to the freezing 'works and shipping companies. I would stress to farmers the import-

ance of further improving the quality of the chilled cattle they are breeding. A lot lias already been done by a number of breeders in this direction, but now that our chilled beef export has Become such an important part of our moat trade this aspect cannot be stressed too often. Improved breeding, and providing lhe cattle are well finished off, combined with more regular monthly supplies will greatly assist in getting our trade more securely established in. the future and incidentally should have the effect of increasing our supplies of cattle which are so necessary for our hill country pastures. A weak spot in our chilled beef trade is the shortness of supplies of suitable cattle in August, September and October. The agricultural farmer can alter this by growing artificial feed and hay to finish forward cattle in the early spring—the price at that time of the year will make it profitable.

PORT LOADING AND SHIPPING. It is most necessary in this highly specialised trade that we have no weak links in the chain between the producer in New Zealand and lhe consumer in Great Britain, and it is therefore essential that no delays occur in loading on the New Zealand waterfront. The transit of beef between New Zealand and London is still not altosiether satisfaeiory. iiiany ol die vessels faking 100 HiK tram lhe lime lhe beef is loaded imui n dr.di.iig.-d m lhe United n ingdom Cm cliii’i.-.d Lem' lhe whole <mw obtaining a rej.iiiati.ji! pariunlaiTt J >' account m i:’- eating quahiie.':. In. the proviiier: ii is growing in populaiiiy. and om ,r.av.-lling representative, wim iias done valuable work nmongsl .he retail ir.’ido. reports lhat many butchers are now continually asking for -I. Th.- vain? of leyearcli. in its relation to tiip meat trade, has bc-eii well illnsiraled in rec-oni years by lhe due..u-n by Hie Cambridge Low Tcmpmaiine Research Station of the method cf rmring chilled beet in transit by use of CG2 gas, and demonstrates the wisdom of the annual grants which the

research work at this station. Valuable work is also being carried out at the Cawthron Institute, in connection with piri-piri and ragwort control and this also is being subsidised by the board. There are other grants, such as that to the Massey Agricultural College in support of research work being done there on sterility in sheep. PROGRESS IN PIG PRODUCTION. In regard to the pork industry, it is pleasing to note that our porker pigs are particularly well thought of qp Smithfield, in fact, in the opinion qf the trade, there is no better quality coming on to the market. Our baconer earcases are gradually improviqg in quality, but we have still a long way to go beforp we approach t|re sjandqrd cf the baconer pigs by the Danish farmer. Nevertheless it is pjea; sing to nole that our farmers are obtaining more knowledge every year of the requirements of the Home trade and are to ipeel As the result of the cpnipqlspry grading of all jjqcqper pigs, whjcji c.pne into fofcg last yp-qr, produeprs arp jfpw being paicl for i)]pir ]jqpqper pjgs Recording to grade and this should result in an improvement in the standard of unr baconer carcases. AN ENORMpUS EXPANSION. To show the enormous expansion which has taken place in the meat export trade to the United Kingdoip, take lamb as an illustration—in p|’pt war years the tofiq! qpai;tj|y shjpppd from all sources was qpp|’qximqtp]y 6,000.000 carcasps pep ypar, wjtpypfls |p: day, the total quantity of lapnbs from all sources landed in the United Kingdom last year antqunted to pyep 000,000 carcasps, of which tjlis Efoinih: ion shipped 9,000,up0 lambs. With this huge quantity of larnb going on to this’market, in addition'to other classes of meat, it can be aj?pre: ciated the vast amount oi work ’pncl care entailed in spreading thesp ship? ments to the best advantage. The board has always recognised the desirability of obtaining other outlets for our meat, although Great Britain must always remain our principal customer. Last year, experimental shipments of lambs were macle to Eastern Canada, and these consignments met with a ready sale. Further experimental shipments to this market are again being made this season by, the board and the first consignment was recently despatched to Toronto and Montreal. The entry of New Zealand lamb into Canada has been greatly facilitated by a trade agreement negotiated with the Canadian Government by the Hon. W. Nash (Minister of Finance), under which the duty was reduced from 3 cents per pound Io hall a cent per pound. The board's London Manager paid a visit to Eastern Canada last year and found that there is a limited market lor New Zealand iamb in Canada for a few months —approximately icorn February until May. This season's opening shipment, will enable a soiling campaign to be inaugurated and two further shipments will probably follow in March and April. Imitation is said to be the sincerest form of flattery, and if that is so. a cornplimeiit lias been paid to lhe New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board by .Australia and ■ tlie Argentine. . Allot oin board had been in existence tor some years, the Argentine found it necessary to establish a meat board, and more recently Australia lias also formed a board, both patterned along the

same lines as the Now Zealand Board. In conclusion, I would say that it is of the ulmost importance to producers and to the Dominion as a whole that lhe highest quality should be mamtained in our meal exports and such quality can be achieved only by sound principles' of breeding, feeding and management. Il is’ only by producing lhe best grades of primary produce th?.' Le can ’Lilly exploit this Dominicn'i wonderful natural resources.