INCREASED DAIRY PRODUCTION

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25391, 14 January 1948, Page 6

INCREASED DAIRY PRODUCTION

FIGURES FOR FIRST FOUR MONTHS

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 13. A dairy production increase of more than 15,000,0001 b of butter-fat in the first four months of the present season, and lamb killings 89 per cent, greater in November than in the same month of last season were announced to-night by the Minister of Agriculture (Mr E. L. Cullen). “These are most encouraging figures at a time when the productive forces of the country are being marshalled to aid Britain,” he said. “They indicate the very real response by farmers to the call for increased production. “It is still, of course, far too early in the season to begin counting our chickens—our farm production is so dependent on favourable weather that a prolonged dry spell in the immediate future could have disastrous effects on production. Indications for the season so far, however, are very encouraging.” Mr Cullen said that the dairy production increase for the first four months of the season compared with the same period of last season was 10.58 per cent. All districts, according to New Zealand Dairy Board figures, had shown an increase, the most notable being North Auckland (22.46 per cent.) and the rest of the Auckland province (13.20 per cent.). The November butter-fat production for the Dominion showed an increase of 12.04 per cent., compared with November in the previous season. Ideal spring conditions were reflected in the production of 157,200,000 lb of butter-fat up to the end of November. This, , according to Dairy Board records, was second only to the 1940-41 season, when production over a similar period amounted to 165,000,000 lb. * Lamb Killings Recalling that a special appeal had been made to farmers to get lambs to freezing works as early in the season as possible, and’ that a premium had been arranged for early killings, Mr Cullen said that November had been an excellent month. Killings of lambs during November were 363,294, or 171,564 more than during November, 1946. “Since then,” said Mr Cullen, “some of the North Island works have announced record daily killings, so we expect the November trend to be maintained when the December returns are to hand. Early killing of lambs is important when large numbers of sheep and cattle have to be prepared for export later in the season.” Mr Cullen added that this increased food production was being got away to the United Kingdom. Export butter gradings for the five months ended December 31 were 79,800 tons, an increase of 9200 tons over gradings for the same period of the previous season. Gradings for the last five months were higher than for any similar period for 11 years.

Export cheese gradings were also ahead of the first five months of last season.

Meat export figures for November (22,500 tons) were more than double the figure for November, 1946 (10,300 tons).