DAIRYING INDUSTRY

Hokitika Guardian, 13 June 1932, Page 3

DAIRYING INDUSTRY

CONFERENCE REPORT. REDUCED RETURN PER COW. “In spite of unfavourable conditions at the commencement of the season, production has been well maintained, and at the end of April showed an increase over th e previous year of 3.953 per cent.,” states the report of the National Dairy Conference for the year ended April 30. The report, which will be presented at the annual conference at Palmerston North on June 21, states that the manufacture of cheese showed a slight decrease, while butter was correspondingly increased.

DISTURBING FEATURE. "A disturbing feature, and significant ( ,9,f the difficult times which farmers ana experiencing, is that although total prediction fop,the' Dominion has increased, i return per cow shows a sharp decline,” states the report. For the season 1929-30, the average was over 2181 b of fat per cow, and for the season iy3o-31, the first year ,of the cl'.iimp, it fell to 201rb. When the present season is completed, it is estimated that a further substantial drop will be disclosed. Even allowing for some difference, on account of seasonal conditions, the main cause of the decline i,s unquestionably the financial stringency caused by the discrepancy ' between farming costs and the prices received for our produce. The use of fertiliser has of necessity been curtailed, and the maintenance of farm efficiency has become, increasingly difficult. More cows are being milked, and so the drop is not vet reflected in our total production, but th° •■•ign’fica'nce of these figures is unmistakable. .O' r. STANDARDISED CHEESE.

“In accordance with the decision reached at the last conference; tlie export of standardised cheese- was discontinued at the commencement of the season. This has been followed by some improvement du the quality ol our cheesb, the average grrdrugs- be"”!' better than the previous year, but the improvement iis prbbab'v not s.o marked as opponents of stard-ml’.sation had hoped. It is evident that, standardisation was not the sole cause of our qua 1 - ity troubles, and other problems still remain for solution by our experts.’ The report states-' that the’.fact that in a .number of districts groups of' factories had entered into agreements with regard to overlapping find indiscriminate switching over from one factory to another on the- part of d!,serantf.ed suppliers, wr.s an encouraging sign, and showed that thp overlapping problem was receiving at ' least of the consideration which its .importance warranted.