FARMING RETURNS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 225, 20 June 1944, Page 4

FARMING RETURNS

The annual report of the executive, to be presented to the National Dairy Conference, will mark the completion of a half-century ol progressive work. It contains figures relating to the industry that are of general interest, particularly for the light thrown on the average gross income of a large section of the producers, laking the milk supplied to the factories for cheese-making, and the Government Statistician’s figures for the total number of cows in milk, the report gives the average payout per herd of 50 sows as being £948 in 1940-41, £877 in the following year and £873 in 1942-43. That, of course, is not the whole picture, but it is a most important feature of it to the suppliers concerned. Their gross returns for milk supplied fell in each of the two years since 1940-41, and there is every reason to expect that the returns for the season now drawing to a close will show a further decline. When due allowance has been made for the fact that the season of 1940-41 was probably the most favourable ever recorded in. the history of the industry, the fall disclosed must have created serious individual problems. During that period costs on the farms continued to advance, thus cutting down the net income upon which the producer has to live. There was no reduction of farm costs to compensate for the fall in returns, but instead a rise that accentuated the adverse movement. The full effect is seen in the aggregate pay-out for the respective seasons, the total, £28,637,000 in 1940-41, dropping to £25,333,000 in 1942-43. The movement may appear unduly large because of the wonderfully favourable conditions three yeais ago, but when all factors have been taken into consideration there can’be no other section of the community that has had to face a similar development during the war period. A good autumn has done much to improve the prospects tor the year now closing and belated price adjustments probably will have done something to right the position, but the figures indicate clearly the effect of climatic conditions on the dairying industry, lhe report referred to says that the Dominion has experienced the third unfavourable dairying season in succession, and no doubt farmers will be glad to turn their attention to the future. From all quarters have come reports of very mild weather, with the stock in much bettei condition, and sound reasons to expect a really good beginning in 1944_45. There are price adjustments which the producers ask should be made, but in the meantime the industry is preparing to make the maximum response possible to the call for increased production. - repetition of the conditions that ruled in 1940-41 would be the best guarantee of success, and hopes for the coming season will be largely based on that.