FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 February 1920, Page 11

FARM AND DAIRY.

THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY IN [ AUSTRALIA. After all the reports received of the effects of the late drought, it will be good news to Australian people to learn that, almost all the dairying country in New South Wales is now assured of pood feed for the summer. The greatest losses that have been suffered have fallen on farmers who lost the best of the flush season because of the dry weather. Even in these places, however, the cows arc coming on in milk again, and 1 here is a prospect of heavy supplies to the butter and cheese factories for at least two months to come. After that, of course, the cows will be going off, but if the rains continue, the season may turn out a very profitable one- for the greater number of herdowners. Cheese factories have become very popular in several district-3, and farmers like to supply for cheese, which' they consider to be mo3t profitable, taking one year with another. There has been, some talk lately of establishing co - operative milk-condensing factories. Some of the representatives of the farmers believe that factories might take the surplus milk within the city milk supply 2one and place it on the riiarket as condensed milk. On the other hand, some of the companies in whose hands the milk-eonderising is at present profess to be very dubious as to its future. They state, that the whole position has altered since the war, and that it will be quite easy to over-supply the market for the condensed article. Gcnerallv speaking the farmers find ft good outlet for all the milk they can produce through the co-operative butter and cheese factories, hut there is still some difficulty in completely clearing up the supplies in the milk zone. The question as to the disposal of the surplus output of butter in the near future is being very gravely considered in Sydney by the companies concerned. It is generally believed that the Commonwealth dairy produce scheme will be continued for some time after the completion of the present contract with the • Imperial Government. Some authorities are, however, by no means satisfied that the Government price will keep on a parity with outside values. They contend that the time will soon arrive when the dairymen, who, they say, are sick and tired of the present control, will demand that they shall he allowed to place their surplus on the markets of the world.