PRICE OP MILK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 224, 21 September 1932, Page 6

PRICE OP MILK.

The Auckland Milk Vendors' Association ftas stabilised the retail price of milk at od and 5Jd a quart, and you report the president as saying that the present "cut" price of 3d a quart could not allow the farmers a return equivalent to that which they would obtain, if they cent the milk to the dairy factories. I do not know on what Mr. Haslam bases, his calculation, for as a matter of fact 3d a quart for milk is equal to about 2/ a pound for butterfat (about double what butterfat is worth now). It appears to me that the Mill.Vendors' Association is drawing a herring across the trail in stating it has the farmers' interests at heart, and, incidentally, saddling the farmers with the blame for the (in some instances) increased price of milk to the con-.. sumer. The farmer knows to hie cost, even if the consumer does not, the difference between what he gets and wha,t the consumer pays. Never at any time lias the producer been paid more than half the retail price, and of 'late this has dropped in many instances to one-third or less. Mr. Haslam is reported a* saying that 5d and 5Jd a quart were tha lowest values which would secure a reasonable return to the farmer, but he does not state what portion of this is to be paid to the. farmer. For years the retailer has been selling at double the price he paid for the milk, md now it is worse, for in many instances he is selling at two-thjrds more. It is time the consumer knew that it is not the producer who is responsible for dear milk, for if they could get together and cut out the middleman the consumer could buy his milk for 3d a quart, and the farmer would consider he was in clover at the price, and not selling at a loss to the milk vendor, as he is at present. PRODUCER.'