NEW ZEALAND'S BEEF INDUSTRY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 10 June 1927, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND'S BEEF INDUSTRY

SERIOUSNESS OF THE POSITION

STATKD I’.V MEAT IJOA HD

lh s|..x first, annual report, some four years ago, lije New. Zealand 'Meal |Wducers* Howi di'ovr upend altorilioa to* tii? serious conditior. of tho beef «i----,'iustrv of I his Dominion. The board a t that time was aide to secure reductions of costs of freezing, railing and shipping, which temporarily enabled farmers to continue running the necessary herds of cattle •to keep their pastures in order for sheep grazing. \l opportune periods since then tho hoard has undertaken extensive campaigns with the co-operation of the press, and the farmers’ organisations, appealing to the consuming public to “Mat. more Hoof,” and thus provide remunerative prices to encourage fanners to grow primo beef, and, incidentally, increase, the general prosperity of the Dominion by enabling more million and lamb to be exported to the Homo tnarlce, ts. The .Meat Board cannot too strongly emphasise tho gravity ot the disaster if beef raising wore allowed to lapse as an unprofitable industry. The deterioration of North Island pastures is a problem agitating tho minds of all practical men associated with land. It is generally realised that this deterioration can only be checked by stocking lands with cattle in such a way as to rid the pastures of rough feed during .the summer months and thus give, the more palatable and nutritive grasses suitable for sheep and lambs, a, chance to thrive. The problem of deteriorated lands, about which so much is read to-day, is largely due to lack of: cattle through beef production ' being unprofitable. With, the increased areas of sheep and cattle country that are being liberally tnpftressed, the difficulty of pasture lands adequately grazed with cattle is going to be accentuated, and the necessity for a. remedy becomes more urgent. The problem, in the meantime,* is one that onlv affects the North Island—the South, with its different climate and soil, is able to keep its pastures in order without the need to carry cattle, except in certain auarters. Despite the expedients adapted by the board to assist the position, the problem with which the North Island sheepfarmer is faced is, having grown the cattle he can get no reasonable price for the beef, as on the London market be comes up against enormous supplies of cheaply produced foreign beef—beef produced under verv_different conditions and in countries with a vastly different standard of" living to that obtaining in New Zealand. The seriousness of the whole position is at once made clear to anyone who turns to the figures showing the export, of beef for recent years. The number of cattle killed in the Dominion for export (in quartern) for the past five years, is as follows:

The raising of beef (adds the board) lias become unprofitable, and it is clear that, if something is not done quickly, this Dominion will soon cease to be an exporter of beef. Should this position eventuate will have a, very serious effect on the general prosperity of Hie country, and as our beef production is interwoven with our sheep, lamb and dairying industries, it will mean that our "main primary products, which are the backbone of the country and our greatest assets, will be checked in their development*.

1922-23 sc: ison 125,083 head 1923-24 „ 80,707 „ 1924-25 . ... 114,637 „■ 1925-20 .. 53,898 1926-27 . *30,000 * estimated