VALUE OF PASTURES.

Mt Benger Mail, 23 November 1938, Page 1

VALUE OF PASTURES.

MAINTAINING NEW ZEALAND’S PRODUCTION. interesting facts. ' Before presenting the certificates to the winners in the South Otago pasture competition for 1937 at a recent meeting of the Clutha branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union Mr A. F. Grcenall (instructor in agriculture, Balclutha), made some interesting remarks showing the importance of good pasture land to the maintenance and increase of New Zealand’s exports (states the Clutha Leader). Mr Greenall complimented the Farmers’ Union Executive in Dunedin for their association with the competitions and the local organisers for obtaining entries. He thought it might be interesting to give some idea of the value of pastures to New Zealand, and their importance to the farming industry. The area of New Zealand was 66 million acres, of which 43 million acres Were occupied. The total area in pastures was 31 million acres 17 million in sown grass and 14 million in tussocks. Half of the Dominion’s total production came from farms, 80 per cent, of her farm produce was exported, and almost 100 per cent, of the exportable produce was derived from pastures. Continuing, Mr Greenall said that the Dominion annually supplied 50 per cent of the United Kingdom’s imports of lamb and mutton, with 9,000,000 and 4,500,000 carcases respectively. Butter (180,000 tons) and cheese (86,000 tons) exports represented 30 per cent, and 68 per cent, respectively of the total imports to the United Kingdom. Wool exported amounted to 300,000,0001bs, It would thus be seen that this country was feeding a large proportion of the population of the United Kingdom (44,000,000), and the total value of New Zealand’s annual exports was from £45,000,000 to £50,000,000. The speaker then proceeded to quote figures showing the increases in production since 1900. The quantity of lamb produced had increased from 2,000,000 to- 9,000,000 carcases, and mutton from 2,000,000 to 4,500,000 carcases, while j since 1924 the production of butter had been doubled. In addition, there had been large increases in the production of cheese, pig products and wool. Although during those years the area of land occupied had been increased by eight million acres, the main increase j in production was due to the improve- ! ment in pastures, said Mr Greenall. 1 However, New Zealand could not afford to rest on her laurels, but must endeav- ’ our to extend her exports of produce, and this, he maintained, could be done only by proper pasture management.