Bobby Calf Prices: Farmers Facing Substantial Loss?

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 3, 4 October 1948, Page 6

Bobby Calf Prices: Farmers Facing Substantial Loss?

From information made available to Federated Farmers’ Dairy Section, it appears that for the current season the following arrangements have been finalised between the Bobby Calf Pool Executive and the Government:— Local Tanners are taking 316,000 skins for which they are to pay 16.18 pence per lb., and the Government will supplement this amount by a further 15.82, pence per lb., making a total of 32d per lb., which amount is paid into the Pool .Account. A further 20d per lb. is taken from the Pool Account funds 1 and credited to these skins, giving them a credit in the Pool Account of 52d per lb. Six shillings per skin is now deducted from both Local Tanners’ and Export skins, and the balance paid out to the farmer. “The 316,000 Local Tanners’ skins have brought in only 32d per lb., and the difference between this and the overseas price, which, last year, averaged 72d per lb., is entirely lost to the farmers and their Pool Accounts,” comments a bulletin from Federated Bay of Plenty Provincial executive. “If last year’s prices are maintained, this loss will amount to 14/2 per skin on 316,000 skins, less the benefit of the exchange, which farmers have now lost, “Last year the Local Tanners took 273,000 skins at 16.18 d per lb;, supplemented by the Government, from the Consolidated Fund, to 24£d per lb. At an average weight of 4*lbs. per skin, this equals 9/- per skin. “The export price averaged 72d, equalling 25/6 per skin. Thus, last year, the loss to the farmer and his Pool Accounts, was 16/6 per skin. “The total loss to the farmer on the 273,000 skins tdken by the Local Tanners last year, amounted to £225,225.”