FARM PRODUCE.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19332, 9 June 1928, Page 4

FARM PRODUCE.

REVIEW OF SEASON; In the course of "Ms. presidential address at the, Farmers* Union conference Mr J, D. Hall said: "So fa* as meat and wool are concerned the returns have been fairly satisfactory, though the • promise of high prices for wool has been somewhat discounted by reduced weights as compared with.the previous years the following are tho figures for the area in North Canterbury:—l 926-27, 72,703 bales at lid tier lb, £1,438,290; .1027-28, 70,065 bales at 18d per lb, £1,754,336. Decrease 2688 bales, increase £316,046, "The prices for lamb and mutton opened at about.what had been expected, but for some reason, which requires investigation, the killings of mutton and lamb in Canterbury are going to be 220,000 short of laßt season; this was tiOt in accord With estimates of three or four months ago, based on the lambing returns, and judging from today's prices, it looks as if .some people had been caught short, and were operating at higher levels to All their contracts. The reason for the large number Of lambs failing to fatten is a matter which requires investigation as from reports to hand it is not due so much to shortage of feed, of which there is plenty, as to its "quality. , "The experts, who are engaged in investigating the mineral contents of our pastures, might possibly turn their at-tention-to this matter, which is imposing a substantial loss on farmers with lambs'to fatten."