Auckland Farming Freezing Co.’s Annual Meeting

Northern Advocate, 25 September 1943, Page 2

Auckland Farming Freezing Co.’s Annual Meeting

In the course oi his address to the annual meeting of the Auckland Farmers Freezing Co., Ltd., held yesterday, the chairman oi directors (Mr. W. E. Hale) said: An examination of the years accounts shows that the profit of £16,083 is £579 higher than last year. In proportion to the very large quantities of produce handled, the profit appears small, but is sufficient to enable the same rate of dividend. viz. 5*2 Per cent., to be again paid this year. Stock Killed

Killings for the year at the company' s Horotiu, Southdown and Moerewa works were as follow: Cattle, 102,706; sheep, 127,541; lambs, 660,902; pigs. 110,024; vealer calves, 3543; bobby calves, 327,969. The increase in cattle killings over last year of 13,644 gives us no cause for pleasure, as the increase was wholly in dairy cows—an undesirable factor which is now contributing to the lower production of dairy produce. Sheep and lamb figures closely approximate those of the previous year, but in pigs there was a marked reduction of 46,671 head, or say 30 per cent. A number of factors have contributed to the general pig shortage. The first set-back was when farmers were advised that Britain would net take any baconers, which decision was later reversed. Then, in 1941-42, there was the change-over from butter to cheese and back again in 1942-43. Then, in April last, and quite unexpectedly, the maximum price at which pigs could be purchased from producers was stabilised before the cost of production was properly investigated. So that pig raisers got avvay to a bad start last season and their difficulties were further increased by the labour shortage and the shortage and high cost of pig=feeding materials. One cannot say that pig production prospects for the coming season are at all bright.

Dairy Produce Butter received amounted to 3,381,912 boxes. During the year, some butter was sent direct from certain Waikato factories to Wellington for freezing and shipment and. on the other hand, a smaller quantity came to Auckland from Wellington and Taranaki. The difference. , viz. 64,179 boxes, may be added to the receipts abovementioned, thus giving a total of 3,446,091 as compared with the previous years figure of 3,436,183—an increase of .28 per cent. Cheese received amounted to 355,846 crates, but of this total 34,064 crates were received from 'Taranaki factories. For comparison purposes, last year’s figure therefore becomes 321,782 as against the 1941-42 total of 694,827—a decrease of 373,045 crates, or 53.6 per cent. Reduced to a butterfat basis, exportable butter and cheese produced in the Auckland province shows a reduction, compared with‘the 1941-42 season, of 11.19 per cent, and with 1940-41 of 21.07 per cent. Serious Effect of Cow Killings Last season approximately 45,000 less cows were niilked in the Dominion than were milked in the 1941-42 season, and a further heavy fall will be experienced in the present season. Cows killed at meat export works and abattoirs for the year ended June 30, 1942, were higher as compared with the previous year by 53,000 and for the vear ended June 30, 1943, bj 60,000 than the 1942 figures—a total increase in cow killings of 113,000 in two years'. A proportion of this increase may have been station cows as apart from dairy cows, but the number would be comparatively small. . . ’ , . If sufficient heifers had been reared to replace the excessive number of cows killed, loss of production would have been, to a certain extent, checked, but unfortunately the number of heifers between one and two years of age was less bv 66,000 at January 31, 1943, as compared with a year earlier, and as showing the continuous depreciation of the pos-tion. Dominion bobby calf killings for July and August this year were higher by 11,000, as compared with the same months la Takfng into account that last season was commenced with a lesser, number o£ cows, that killings were so high during the season, that there marked shortage of - replacement heifers, the

shortage of fertiliser and the effect of last autumn’s drought on the condition 01 the cows this spring, it is quite obvious that a further marked drop will be experienced in dairy produce production this current season. Climatic conditions will affect the position either favourably or otherwise, but we must calculate on a further decline of 10 or even 15 per cent, on last season s figures. Other Repercussions The reduction in the numbers of dairy cows and heifers will have repercussions in other ways we may be inclined to overlook. For instance, many small dairy farmers who, through labour and fertiliser shortages, have changed over to sheep farming and who will have little option but to return to dairy farming, will require cows for re-stocking purposes. Also, if we are to rehabilitate men returning from overseas on to dairy farms, the position will become almost desperate owing to the fact that the dairy stock will not be available to meet the demand. Probably at no time in the country s history was it so important as it j,s today that we should be producing meat and dairy produce to the maximum of the country’s capacity. The fighting and supporting services of the United Nations must be adequately fed and the war factory and other workers in the' Old Country and elsewhere are in urgent need of our foodstuffs in order to eke out their meagre weekly rations of meat and butter. All classes of farmers have, over the past few years, shown themselves ready and willing to make many sacrifices and to work practically unlimited hours in order that the produce required shall be forthcoming. They know how vital is the part they play in winning the war and I have not the slightest doubt they will continue to do everything possible towards securing the great objective we all have in mind. Labour The difficulties we experienced as a result cf inability to secure anything like a sufficiency of suitable labour at the several works was one of our big worries during the year. We greatly miss the experienced and loyal employees who are now members of the services, and look forward to the time when they are able to resume their previous occupations.