New Faith In Agriculture As Economy Base Seen

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31108, 11 July 1966, Page 11

New Faith In Agriculture As Economy Base Seen

Obviously New Zealand must base its economy to a great extent on processing its own raw materials, most of (them from agriculture, said the assistant director general i of agriculture (Dr. A. T. iJohns) opening a farmers’ i conference on hill country development at Waipara. ; “With this realisation agriculture has moved from the back seat to the front, but I i would not yet be certain i whether it is fully established i in the driving seat. However, with the lead that has been j given, farmers have responded magnificently to recognition of their rightful role and there is a new faith in agriculture and confidence in the future,” he said. He was sure that speakers at the conference from the Meat and Wool Boards would tell farmers that if they produced the type and quality of products required by overseas markets, they would sell all they could produce. “There may be fluctuations in price that look a little alarming in

the short term, but the longterm outlook is most encouraging.” A few years ago New Zealand agriculture had taken a back seat, while secondary industry was being vigorously developed. It had been some time before those in authority had realised that this was mainly only substituting one type of import for another. Raw materials were being imported instead of the finished goods, with little or no gain in overseas exchange. Dr. Johns said costs would increase. To meet and get ahead of them, farmers had to become more efficient, and had been doing so. In 1952 the farm labour force of 129,000 had handled 482 ewe equivalents a man. In 1962 the force of 121,000 handled 658 ewe equivalents, and if efficiency continued to increase at the same rate it was estimated that in 1972 New Zealand would require a force of only 122,000 for an average output of 904 ewe equivalents a man.