THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 124, 24 April 1940, Page 8

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Speakers at the dairy meetings in this district have correctly stressed the fact that, of their several problems, that of winning the war is the most serious. Their future, as well as that of every citizen of the Empire, depends upon its successful outcome. The dairy-farmers have their part to play and are anxious to do their utmost. Britain has lost a liugx quantity of butter and other products from European countries, and the gap must be bridged. It may well be that in the future these supplies will never be fully restored and the greater production now so essential will be reel uired then. The opportunity is one to be seized with vigour and determination. Unfortunately, however, production, has been falling during the past three seasons because, as Mr W. E. Hale (chairman of the Dairy Board) stated, dairying has lost its attractiveness under the high costs of to-day. In the present season there has been a small increase, but the “symptoms that have caused the decline in past seasons” are still in, existence. The Dominion has 00,000 fewer cows than a year ago, with the prospect of a still lower number if the same rate, of culling is maintained in 1940. The appeal that has been made to farmers to rear as many of tlieir good calves as possible is therefore timely. Never has there been such an opportu nity for farmers to increase their production under such favourable marketing conditions. Unhappily, the same cannot be said so far as the industry’s internal conditions are concerned, and in the course of his address Mr Hale showed the disadvantages it is to-day labouring under. It is for the Government to heed what the leaders of this great branch of primary production have to say. Three ways in which the industry can be helped were discussed by the Board’s chairman, the most important of which must be the reduction in costs he mentioned. It is this factor of rising costs which has been chiefly responsible for reduced production, and until it is solved the industry’s position seems hardly likely to be remedied.