H—3oa

Imports With the decrease in the number of eggs passing through approved egg floors, the ■quantity of pulp manufactured has not been up to original expectations, and imports from Australia are still necessary. Quantities of egg-pulp imported during the previous years and the year under review are as follow: Dozen Equivalent. 1942-43 .. .. .. .. .. 2,722,020 1943-44 .. .. .. .. .. 2,286,732 1944-45 .. .. .. .. .. 2,662,107 1945-46 .. .. .. .. .. 1,709,670 1946-47 .. .. .. .. .. 2,205,000 (estimated) There is still some criticism of the Division's policy in importing egg-pulp, but as -egg-production does not equate to the demand it has been the policy to encourage the use of egg-pulp by bakers and pastrycooks, thereby releasing the equivalent number •of eggs in shell for general civilian consumption in New Zealand. Pools Distributors in each marketing area are still required under regulations to pool the proceeds of the sale of eggs at current ruling prices according to Price Order and to pay out to the producer at prices advised by the Division. As required, individual floor-pool surpluses are transferred to the National Egg Pool Account, from which payments are made for approved purposes. Each individual egg pool is also used as a cushion .against losses on a falling market. By maintaining strict Government audit of all ■egg-pool operations, the supplier of eggs receives not only a price return related to the ruling wholesale prices at the time, but, in addition, is protected to the extent that indirectly he will also receive the benefit of any surpluses created in the pool accounts. Post-war Marketing Committee The previous report mentioned that, as a result of representations made by the poultry industry, the Minister of Marketing and Agriculture appointed a committee to consider and recommend to him a post-war marketing plan that would be in the best interests of both producer and consumer. This report has now been completed and presented to the Minister. The personnel of the committee included members of the New Zealand Poultry Board, Price Tribunal, Department of Agriculture, Internal Marketing Division, and consumer representatives. PRODUCE SECTION Potatoes During the early portion of the period under review, April and the first half of May, the North Island market was supplied with contract-grown potatoes mainly from the Manawatu and Rangitilcei districts, with smaller quantities from Hawkes' Bay and Ohakune. It became necessary early in May to draw upon main-crop supplies from the South Island, but shipping-space during May and June was very scarce indeed, particularly for Auckland, and some considerable difficulty was found in keeping the Auckland provincial markets supplied with their full requirements. However, as a result of combined action by the Shipping Controller, Department of Agriculture, and the Division it was found possible in June to arrange for a loading at Lyttelton of the " Samstrae " for Auckland. This vessel lifted a substantial quantity of potatoes for that port, and with the more or less regular shipments by the customary coastal vessels the market has been kept well supplied. Two further loadings at Timaru by overseas vessels, the Samstrae " and the " Samnethy," were arranged in August; these vessels carried a total of approximately 70,000 sacks to Auckland. Without such freight opportunities it would have been impossible to have kept the Auckland market supplied with potatoes

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