BIG INCREASE IN DAIRY PRODUCTION

Chronicle (Levin), 15 January 1948, Page 7

BIG INCREASE IN DAIRY PRODUCTION

Press Association)

(Per

WELLINGTON, Jam 14. \ A dairy production increase of more than 15,000,000 pounds of butterfat in the lirst four months of the present season and lainb ldllings 80 per eent. greater in November than in the sanie month of last season were announced last night by the Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Cullen). Export ,butter gradings for the live months ended December 31 wefe 79,800 tonsj an increase of 9200 tons over gradings for the corresponding period of the previous season, stated the«Minister. Gradings for the last live months \xere higher than for any similar period for 11 ycars. Export cheese gradings were also ahead of Ihe first live months of last season. Meat. export lygures for November (22,500 tons) were more than double the ligure for November, 194(5 (10,300 tons). ' "These are most enc.ouraging ligures at a time when the productive forees of the eountry are being marshalled to aid Britain," Mr. Cullen said. ' ' They indicate a verv real response by farmers to the call for iucreased production. It is still, of course, far too early in the season to begin counting oUr chickens — our farm production is so dependent on favourable weather that a prolonged dry spell in the immediate future could have disastrous effects. Production indications for the season so far) however, are very eneouraging." Mr. Cullen said that the dairy production increase for the Dominion for the lirst four months of the season, compared with the corresponding period oi Jast, season, was 1U.58 per cent. All districts, accordiug to New Zealand Dairy Board ligures, liad shown an increase, the most notable being North Auckland (22.4(5 per cent.), and the remainder of the Auckland provinee (12.20 per cent.)'. . November butterfat production for the Dominion showed an increase ot 12.04 per cent., compared with November in the previous season, the month being a-record oue in some districts. The ideai spring conditions were refiected in the season 's production of 157,200,000 pounds of butterfat up to the end oi' November. This accordiug to "Dairy Board* records, was second onlv to the 1940-41 season, w.hen production over a siiuilar period amounted to 1(55,000,000 pounds.

ltecalling that a special appeal had been made to farniers to get lambs to the works as early in the season as possilde and that a premium had been arranged for early killings, Mr. Cullen said that November had been an exeelient month. Killings of lambs during November Avere 363,294, or 171,564 more than during November, 1946. "Bince then, " said' Mr. Cullen, "some of the North Island works have announced record daily killings, so that. we expect the November trend to be niaintamed when the December returns are to hand. Early killing of lambs is iniportant when Jarge numbers of sheep and cattle have to be prepfired for export later in the season." The Minister added that this iucreased food production was being got away to the L'nited Ivingdom.