Livestock may boost exports

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34146, 6 May 1976, Page 11

Livestock may boost exports

(19. Z. Press Association) . INVERCARGILL. | Livestock increases i until 1985 could, at 1975-1 76 prices, result in an in-; crease in New Zealand’sexport receipts of about S6OO million a year, the Minister of Lands (Mri V. S. Young) said. Speaking to a conference of Southland Federated] Farmers at Invercargill, he I said that estimates of the! additional investment required to attain this rate of! increase were from $3O to $4O, an additional stock unit, or a total of s7om a year. “To the extent that farm incomes will be unable to provide all the necessary ploughback, additional funds for investment will be needed.” Mr Young referred to the need for farmers to have confidence, so that their industry would push ahead with development and the building up of stock numbers.

Measures to stimulate growth were imperative.

“For example, net farm incomes on the average sheep farm of about $9400 and the average dairy farm of $7760 for 1975-76 indicate that investable funds will be inadequate. It would be unreasonable to expect farmers to sacrifice further their present modest living standards to the extent necessary to initiate such programmes. “It must be emphasised that from net farm incomes farmers are required to meet personal drawings, pay existing debts, and pay taxes before new development can be contemplated.” He said the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries was reviewing the present forms and levels of assistance m the light of the perceived constraints to increased production.

“The introduction of effective price-smoothing arrangements to limit fluctuations in incomes and promote greater certainty for farmers undertaking develiopment programmes must be I the concerted aim of the ■ farmers, producer boards, land the Government.”