Fewer Farmers: More Production

Chronicle (Levin), 31 December 1949, Page 3

Fewer Farmers: More Production

The annual report of the New Zealand Dairy -Board for the 1948-49 season, just released, distloses that sinee the pre-war years the number of dairy produce suppliers has dropped by no less than 24 per cent. — from 70,300 in 1937-38 to 53,600. In spite of the drop in producing units, butterfat production was the second highest achieved (the record was in 1940-^1), and, dairy produce exportsj headed b'y a record butter figure of 144)000 tons, were only just below the 1940-41 export totals. The reason for the very good figures of 1948-49 is that the a'mount of butterfat received from each farmers'upplier reached a new high level at 74001b. total "at the pail" production amounting to 461,000,0001b, a rise of 41,000,001b on 1947-48, m spite of a falling off in the number of suppliers. The Dairy Board .points out that though there has been no substantial change in the number of suppliers during the last four seasons, the long downward trend has continued. Areas prineipally affeeted by the decline are those where owners of small dairy herds have ceased dairying, and to a

lesser extent where farmers have changed from factory to town milk supply. It emphasises that the total decline of 24 per cent., sinee pre-war should not be interpreted as a major drift from dairying. Buttertat' per supplier last year was 74501b, an increase of 34 per cent. on pre-war and a record. In the North Island the figure was 94251b, while in Taranaki an excellent return of l5, 3901b per supplier was noted. An average of 22501b for the South Island indicates how these returns refleet the size of the supplying herds, mixed farming being widely prevalent in the South Island, and emphasises that this is the prineipal factor to be considered in comparing district variations. The kindly season — it was one of the most favourable on record — stimulated production. Conditions everywhere during the preceding winter were mild, says the report, and with feed plentiful dairy herds were in good form as the season approached. Production started on a high seasonal level, and was well maintained during the summer and autumn periods. A continued high level of production is expected during the current season.

Outside the United Kingdom, which under contraet takes 97 per cent. of j New Zealand's exportable surplus ofi dairy produce, small shipments of butter, totalling 1100 tons, were sent to Canada, 1300 tons of butter and 200 tons of cheese to the Caribbean area, 1 and 1100 tons of butter and 200 tons of cheese to the Middle East. TJnspeeified markets absorbed 1700 tons of butter and 2300 tons of cheese. The prineipal markets for processed

i ... j milk products, which have grown m I impoftance in recent years, were the I United Kingdom, Malaya, India, and Egypt. j 'The North Island shipped 93.8 per cent. of the butter and cheese exports, the South Island exporting the balaneo. Auckland handled some 58 per cent. | by weight of all dairy products shipped I during the Beason.