BACKWARD SEASON

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 308, 27 November 1936, Page 9

BACKWARD SEASON

MANAWATU CONDITIONS. BUOYANT STOCK MARKETS. “Owing to the continued wet weather, the season is very backward,” commented a representative of the pastoral industry yesterday to a “Standard” representative, when discussing farming conditions and the immediate outlook in that respect. “Lambs, in the main, have not done too well,” lie added, “more particularly on the heavy country. Shearing has been delayed, firstly by the weather and secondly by the fresh conditions under the new shearers’ award. “The stock markets, in all departments, are showing exceptional buoyancy. This has been brought about by the marked improvement in the value of wool and by the stabilisation of the meat market at Home. Cattle are increasing in price, but it is a ‘grass rise,’ so termed because of the abundance of feed available.” Though there is ample grass growth, and there is unlikely to be a shortage of feed this side of Christmas, the “Standard” was informed by a factory manager, farmers are at a loss to account for the fact, reported to be general in the Manawatu, that cows are not milking as well as usual. The sound appearance of stock adds to the anomaly. There was a shortage of feed some six weeks ago, owing to the bad weather, but at present pastures are in first-class condition. It was stated that the flush of the dairying season, which varied from November to the end of December, appeared to be at hand, but production was below that for the corresponding period of last year, and factory outputs were down. Last season there were two flushes—one in November and the other in the autumn.

Comment was made by the manager that the quality of the cream received this season is exceptionally good. It was evident, he said, that farmers had made many improvements, realising that this meant additional money to them.