Lower Prices for Calf Skins

Chronicle (Levin), 7 July 1948, Page 3

Lower Prices for Calf Skins

HAMILTON, July 5. Concern is felt in tho farming industry at the Goverument's announcement that bobby calf skins supplied- to New Zealand tanuers by the industry will be paid for at the rate of 24id per lb. Tliis is Iess' tinui lialf the price that bobby calf producers have been rcceiving for the past few seasons. The average price last season was about SOd. Hupplyiug of bobby calf _ skius to local tanners was introduced as a war uieasure, but the number of slcins that industry Avas required to stipply to jtauners steadily increased from 50,000 duriug the war to 826,000 next season. The industry h^il to accept a 'price very much below world parity for several years. The dilTerence between .the price the producer received and world parity had goue into the stabilisation accouut, said a representative of the industry this morning. The . industry was noi. happy about tliis position, and numerous deputatious had;- appi'oaclied the Gov ernment to have this injustice re- : movcd. ' It was pointed out by the depu-ta-tion that the bobby calf industry was subsidising other sections of the" community and gaining no beneht from it. The industry held that this' priuciple was entirely wroug. It was the Government 's intention to Jimit payout to producers to 32d per lb. for calfskius, which would reduce the price to about half of last year's price. This was deeply resented by all farmcrs' organisatious throughout New Zealand.