HIGHER PRICE-FOR PRODUCERS OF MILK FOR TOWNS

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 October 1947, Page 3

HIGHER PRICE-FOR PRODUCERS OF MILK FOR TOWNS

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, October 22. Town milk producer associations operating under the national milk scheme would receive a retrospective payment of 1.0242 d a gallon for the period from November 1 to August 31 said the Minister, of Marketing (Mr E. Lf Cullen) today. Mr Cullen said the retrospective increase would be payable on the daily nominated quantity as accepted by each association during that period, arid in addition on a 17 per cent, surplus during the summer and a 10 per cent, surplus during the autumn and winter months. , . • The Minister said the price increase payable to town milk producers was the result of the recent decision of the Dairy Products Marketing Commission to give increases to butter and cheese suppliers. For the present milk year, which began on October 1 and would end on August 31, the average national producer price would rise from 15.63 d for the 1946-47 year to 18.1632 d a gallon. “This average price has yet to be divided into summer, autumn, and winter differentials and these will be determined in consultation with the industry as soon as possible,” said th’e Minister. “Meanwhile producer associations are invited to present their claims to the Milk Marketing Division for the payment of the retrospective increase, but in so doing will be required to give the department the necessary credit for surplus milk which has been manufactured into butter and cheese during the period as this milk will automatically qualify for butterfat increases payable through dairy factories.”

NO PRICE AGREEMENT, SAYS FEDERATION (P.A.) WELLINGTON, This Day. No agreement had been reached between the Government and the Town Milk Federation on this season’s price, stated a resolution passed today by the federation, following publication of Mr Cullen’s statement on town milk prices. The federation’s resolution added that it should be made clear that the price of 18.1632 d a gallon announced by the Government merely incorporated the increase in the price given to the dairy industry generally, without in any way redressing.the injustices about which the federation had been complaining for over two years. '