Meat production drop deplored

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33424, 4 January 1974, Page 3

Meat production drop deplored

veir Zealand Press Association» 0 AMARU. The estimated decrease of more than 50.000 tons in meat production for the coming season is disturbing, says the executive director of the Sheep and Cattlemen’s Association (Mr A. I). Dick).

The decrease was in spite, of the apparent buoyancy of meat and wool‘returns, and indications that this trend , would continue into the foreseeable future. “LACK OF CONFIDENCE” ' A further disturbing trend, Mr Dick said, was that! farmers were investing their savings outside their own! industry at a time when the. Agriculture Production Council was advocating an urgent increase in farm production to obtain maximum benefit from improved international markets. This apparent lack of confidence was partly seasonal but was mainly the result of the uncertainties created by. Government policies during the last 12 months. "Farmers appreciate their i responsibilities towards con-1 raining inflation, but are: ‘concious that the voluntary! : income stabilisation scheme| bears no interest, and that! the repercussions of revalua-j tion and the withdrawal ofi part of the input subsidies!

.represents a very consid erable share of the cost o' i stabilising the economy.’ said Mr Dick. "Any further attempt tc interfere in the free marketing of meat and wool wil be strongly resisted and th« proposed Government superannuation scheme will just inot be accepted by the farming community.” As long as theorists, whc had nothing at risk, continued to intervene in an industry which did not belong to them and was beyonc their understanding, this downward trend of decreased production woulc continue, said Mr Dick. . ‘‘Provided that Government interference is kept tc ,a minimum, that the threat of nationalisation of the injdustry is withdrawn, and that the fuel crisis is resolved in reasonable time, • the nation as a whole during 11974 will benefit from the i improved prices that are • offering on the markets of 'the world today.