DAIRY INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 138, 7 March 1930, Page 6

DAIRY INDUSTRY

THE POSITION DEFINED BROADCAST INTERVIEWS Views of considerable importance to the future of the New Zealand and Australian dairy industry were expressed at an informal conversational interview which was broadcast last evening from 2YA. The interview took place between Mr. fw; Goodfellow, managing director of Amalgamated. Dairies, and Mr. A._J. Heigh way. managing editor of the “Nev; Zealand Dairy Produce Exporter. ’ / The speakers were introduced briefly by Mr. Heighway, who referred also to the importance of the tour. He asked Mr. J. Rankin, a member of the delegation, what aspects of New Zealand dairying had struck him most in the course of the tour. There were three features which stood out most strongly, Mr. Rankin replied. First there was the excellent pasture management, next the breeding of dairy stock, and lastly the system of testing herds. As far as pasture was concerned, the heavy top-dressing practice and the subdivisions into smaller fields, had impressed hiiu very much, and a striking comparison was often noticed between t adjacent farms, on one of .which topdressing was a. custom, aud on the .other no top-dressing. Asked for his opinion or the amount of room for growth that still existed in this country, Mr. Rankin said he felt that there was room-for great ■ expansion. There was ho doubt- • that eventually even more laud would be devoted to'dairying. i ~ “In vieiv of the present conditions, asked Mr. Heighway, “what is the most important thing for the producer.“There is no doubt that as production increases, prices will fall. Improved systems of marketing will have to be found, said Mr. Rankin. . . ‘ Mr. G. 8. Stening, leader of the delegation, was asked to make a comparison between tlie conditions of co-operative dairying concerns in Australia and New Zealand. . There was more in the co-operative system in Australia, he said, There was one phase which should lie exploited. He referred to the relations between co-opera-tion and marketing. Australia and New Zealand could combine and stand four- ' square so that the prices might be stabilised on the Loudon market.’. A combined scheme would be the salvation .of the indUThree separate groups were'buying in the London market, said Mr. Goodfellow, and it made things difficult for producers out here. The market could still stand, but only if prices came down. Hie trouble was there was only one market available. Canada was a possible one. but it depended to a great extent on the actions of the United States. What produceis should do was to combine in groups .as the buyers had done. il “;, raark ®t " ee( J f ed decentralisation also, 92 per cent, of our produce was, finding its way to London to supply only half ot the population of the land. . , ■ r , Summing up the positibn, Mr. Goodfellow said that the Australian and New Zealand producers should meet each ot e instead of competing with each other, the oversells market should be decentiahs ed; measures should be taken to enforce the marking of blended butter; and njiallj, the dairy industry should do -ail in its power to develop Empire trade. lhe speaker concluded with an appeal to city residents, especially city business men, to.study dairying more closely, and to realise what a part it played in the prosperity of the country.