The Market for Australian Pigmeats

Before the war the main market for Australia's pigmeat production was the home market; the export market was relatively small and of relatively recent growth. The war itself brought a number of changes. Not only were increased quantities of certain types of pigmeat required for the Services and for export to Britain, but it became necessary to introduce a fair degree of control over the industry to meet these requirements. There were also changes in production methods, grain-feeding receiving a new emphasis, though recently feed and materials shortages in all States have had a retarding influence. The time is thus ripe to ask what the future holds for the pig industry, and whether changed market conditions will mean that the war-time changes will be permanent. The answers to these questions are especially important to New South Wales, because of the leading position which this State occupies in pig-meat production.