TARANAKI DAIRYING.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5155, 22 July 1927, Page 2

TARANAKI DAIRYING.

STRATFORD DISTRICT RETURNS.

AN INTERESTING COMPARISON.

In a special dairying issue of the “Taranaki Daily News,” New Plymouth, dated July 7, which has been handed to us by Mr R. L. Davies, of Kerepeehi, appear some interesting figures relating to the dairying industry in Taranaki. In a.n interesting article it is stated :— “Over five and a half million pounds of butter-fat in a year, valued at half a million pounds •sterling! That is the production value of the dairying industry within practically an eightmile radius of Stratford. “From returns obtained from all important co-operative factories making Stratford their shppping centre it is estimated that no less tha.n 5,635,0311 b of butter-fat were produced last season. The average payout for the 1925-26 season was generally in the vicinity of Is 7d per lb, when all stocks were realised, and on that basis the huge sum of £446,000 was realised. Details of the district production which went to make up the grand total of over 5% million pounds of butter-fat are as follows : Stratford Dairy Co., 2,193,5331 b fat; Midhirst Dairy Co. 1,538,3141 b ; Ngaere Dairy Co., 5.14,1371 b ; Lbwgarth Dairy Co., 430,8171 b ; Cardiff Dairy Co., 399,6611 b ; Pembroke Dairy Co., 200,6901 b ; Tuna Dairy Co., 197,1841 b ; Waingonoro Dairy Co.,’ 101,1211 b; Te Popo Dairy Co., 59,5841 b.” No doubt the foregoing returns are a creditable performance ; but while comparisons are odious, it is interesting to record that the butter-fat produced by Mr F. W- Walters, of Waitoa, alone exceeds the total output for the season of the Tuna Dairy Company. Again, while it took the total output of nine dairy factories in the Stratford district to make up 5,635,0311 b of butter-fat, the W.a-ha-roa factory, near Matamata, on its own exceeded that quantity for the 1925-26 season.