DRY CONDITIONS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 50, 1 March 1939, Page 6

DRY CONDITIONS

FALL IN DAIRY OUTPUT ! FOUR WANGANUI FACTORIES DOWN 198 TONS I Dry weather conditions are largely responsible for a fall in output by dairy factories all over the Dominion. In the Wanganui district, particularly in coastal areas, the fall has been more noticeable since the beginning of the year, but some factories have shown a steady decline throughout the season. In addition to weather conditions, however, less cows are being milked. The following figures, covering the season's output to the end of January, have been obtained from Wanganui district butter factories and are compared with the output during the same months of 1938: . Last Y’r. This Yr.

A drop of 198 tons is shown In the district covered by the four factories. The Raetihi Co-operative Dairy Company, although not able to supply details in tonnages, reports that output at the end of January was down one per cent. At Taihape, output, as al January 31, was up three tons. Factory managers report that because of the exceptionally dry February a further falling off in output will be noticeable. Windy days in January caused the feed in the coastal areas to dry quickly and the supply of cream to factories fell away rapidly. Further inland the drying winds did not appear to have the same effect and heavy dews at night helped to keep the pastures fresher than near the coast. That accounts largely for Taihape being able to show an increase in output. It is stated from there, however, that there has been a big falling off during February. An indication of the effect of the dray conditions in February on factories in the coastal areas is shown by the Okoia company. The factory manager (Mr. W. P. Jones) estimates that his factory has made 25 tons less butter this February than in the same month in 1938.

Tons. Tons. Wangaehu 470 434 Okoia - 827 711 Rata 722 705 Rangitikei 541 512 Total 2560 2362