MEAT AND BUTTER

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 February 1942, Page 8

MEAT AND BUTTER

i EXPORTS TO BRITAIN WELLINGTON, February 17. i Arrangements made with the United Kingdom for the purchase of New Zealand’s main primary products during the period of the present war were outlined in general terms by the Minister for Marketing (Mr. Barclay) in an address to-night. He said that ; 1 though the agreements had not been completed, negotiations had reached the stage that enabled him to indicate the likely trend these agreements would take.

After giving details of the meat and dairy produce agreements, Mr. Barclay said it. was obvious there should be no programme of increased production for either meat or butter, but rather that production should at least be stabilised and reduced by individual dairy and sheep farmers whereever possible by the additional culling of herds and flocks. Furthermore it might be possible for farmers in certain districts to divert production into other channels. For instance, there was an urgent need for greater wheat growing in New Zealand. “To sum up the position,” said Mr. Barclay, “it can be said that the longterm interests of the Dominion would be better served by a tendency to decrease export of meat, and butter production, because the post-war possibilities facing both industries will be largely influenced by the amount ol accumulated produce in store at the end of the emergency period, and if stocks can be kept within reasonable limits, the position of our export industries will be greatly strengthened. “To offset the need for less production of meat and butter, there is the need for greater production of wheat, linen flax, cheese, and possibly other milk products such as whole milk powder.”