RECORD VALUE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 234, 31 August 1940, Page 6

RECORD VALUE

FARM PRODUCTION. GREAT OUTPUT OF MEAT, (By Telegraph—Special to Standard.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 31. Details of the value of farm production last season were described by the Minister of Agriculture (Hon. W. Leo Martin) as an all-time record.' He was speaking to the members of the Meat Board Electoral Committee,' and told them that, in the intricate negotiations which had to be undertaken in respect to meat products, the Government always consulted the Meat Board, and it would have been, tragic and disastrous if it had no such body as the board with whom to discuss the many problems involved. _ Last season’s meat production, declared the Minister, was an all-time record, reaching the truly amazing total of over 13 million freight carcases, thus exceeding the previous year’s record production by two million carcases. Against this production the Marketing Department had already paid to the industry 16 millions on meat shipped and a further £3,500,000 would be paid on meat now in store, making a total of £19,500,000, a figure never previously reached. / Details of this season’s payments to the producers given by the Minister comprised the following:—

PRICE AGREEMENT. As for the coming revision of the meat price agreement, the Minister stated that noiv the dairy produce arrangement had been completed, attention Avould at once be given to meat. “In this connection,” he remarked, “I am sure that the industry will be in complete agreement Avith the Government’s attitude that under the present circumstances no approach should be made for higher prices, in spite of some unavoidable increases in the cost of production in this country.” As-to the quantity of the meat New Zealand Avas likely to sell under the new agreement, much would depend on our own estimates of production, on the amount of refrigerated shipping which the United Kingdom could make available, and, finally, on the storage position in Britain itself. The Minister reminded liis bearers that the Minister of Marketing had already announced that, so far as the farmers Avere concerned, they need not worry about this phase, because the GoA'ernment Avould purchase all that Avas produced. Another point mentioned by the Minister Avas the cost of purchasing not only tlie Dominion’s exportable surplus of meat products, but also avool, dairy produce, tallow, and scheelite, Avhich had been done with all the necessary documentation by the Marketing Department at the remarkably loav cost of Is 2d per £IOO of turnover.

/ £ 800,000 Mutton . ... ••• 1,500,000 2,000,000 2,200,000. '400,000 Pigs Butterfat for butter ... 1,600,000 800,000 Butterfat for cheese The total for the season represented an increase of 9,300,000