FARMERS’ PROSPECTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 April 1922, Page 8

FARMERS’ PROSPECTS.

TARANAKI’S INDUSTRY. SLUMP AND RECOVERY. An interesting paper on the prospects of farming in Taranaki and the present difficulties of the farmers was read by Mr. J. B. Richards at Wednesday night’s meeting of the Stratford Chamber of Commerce. During the past year, said Mr. Richards, we have experienced a very trying time, and we have not yet disposed of our difficulties. Prices of our staple products —butter, cheese, pork, wool, mutton, lamb and beef —all slumped badly, with the result that farmers who had bought land at the prevailing prices were unable to make their farms pay. Fortunately, a large proportion of our settlers are well established. These latter have exercised industry and economy during prosperous years, and so built themselves up to a condition which enabled them to “stand a bump.” They are a great influence for stability. Butter, cheese, and pork are the most important factors in the welfare of the dairy farmers’ business, and it is highly gratifying to know that these have recovered quickly from the temporary slump, and now' promise good payable prices. The “peak” prices paid for dairy farms could only be justified by the assumption that, “peak” values of butterfat would endure or increase. At the present time, the prospects for the products of the dairy farm appear distinctly good, and we may expect to see land values become stabilised at good prices. Fertilisers are a necessity nowadays, and it is satisfactory to note cheaper quotations. Mutton and lamb have recovered from 'the slump, and wool has improved. It is difficult to understand why crossbred is so low. There is ample room for improvement here. The Vorst fly in the ointment at present is the low price -for beef. It is obvious that we cannot produce it for anything like the money. All classes of farms are concerned. The dairy farmer has cow beef and calves to sell, the hill country farmer needs cattle to keep his pasture in order, and the fattening land is vitally affected. The problem in tjus connection is perhaps most difficult for the hill country farmer. If present prices continue the dairy farmer will not rear calves to sell at a price which the hill country farmer can afford to give, and the latter will be forced into either breeding cattle for his own use or of finding some other means of keeping his pasture right. It may be that he will find a solution in |op dressing with fertilisers, and the present difficulty by forcing the position may ultimately prove a blessing in disguise.