MORRINSVILLE DAIRY WEALTH.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 244, 5 July 1928, Page 6

MORRINSVILLE DAIRY WEALTH.

ANOTHER RECORD SEASON Payouts Total £192,136.

The apostles of gloom—and there j were many of them—who prophesied that the drought would spell disaster to dairy farmers this season have been confounded by the good fortune of a wonderful autumn and a buoyant market, which has made it possible for companies operating in Morrinsville to make even higher distributions than last year. That this could be done, in spite of the alarming setback that reduced the milk supply by over 60 per cent., is a fine tribute to the district and to the suppliers—to the district because it recove’ id so quickly from the dry spell and t j the suppliers because of the sound farming methods it revealed. Topdressing and harrowing can be said to be the cause of the excellent autumn yield. The effect of the prolific growth of grass on the stock, which had rested for two months, was, to say the least, aston-

ishing, and the milk yield continued so far into the early winter that many farmers became alarmed as they could not dry the cows off. It is very doubtful, however, whether the large payouts would have been possible had such satisfactory prices not been received for the manufactured products in England. By judicious selling one company lias been able to pay out at the rate of Is 7d per pound of butterfat, a figure which will return to suppliers a considerably higher sum than last year, j Other companies show similar substantial increases in the rate of payout. The total payouts for the Morrinsville, Tatua and Norfolk factories | over the season, with a comparison | with the previous season, are given , below. It should be pointed out that the figures are dependent largely upon whether the butter or cheese has j been sold on consignment or f.0.b., as in the former case more conservative payments would necessarily be made and would be supplemented subsequently by bonuses. The figures are:—

Morrinsville (butter). £107,644 ; 1927, £80,275. Tatua (cheese). —1928, £57,192 ; 1927, £56,042. Norfolk (cheese). —1928, £27,300 ; 1927, £22,622. Totals. £158,939. The N.Z.C.D.C. Morrinsville branch figures are not available.