Milkfat output up 3 per cent

Press, 24 February 1986, Page 18

Milkfat output up 3 per cent

PA Wellington Milkfat production and processing is up more than 3 per cent on last year’s figures, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

About 42.5 million kilograms was processed last month, up 3.8 per cent on last January, said the Ministry’s ■< Economics Division.

It also reported production for the season so far was 3.4 per cent ahead of the corresponding period last season. Because of favourable summer weather total production is estimated to reach a record of about 340 million \ kilograms. This would put it at 2.3 per cent above the 198485 level of 332.4 million kilograms.

The division also reported that Western

Europe would continue to be well supplied with meat this year. The European Economic Community was expected to see an Increase in supply for the third year in a row.

There was no room for any real recovery in fat cattle prices, which could get worse.

The division warned that meat market problems would increase because further reductions in dairy cow numbers seemed necessary. If this happened this year it would increase meat production even more.

Latest European slaughtering projections were drawn up on the basis that 1986 would see no further destocking of cow herds. But those could be inevitable in 1987 causing a high level of product to be available.