FARMERS’ NEEDS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 15 April 1944, Page 5

FARMERS’ NEEDS

FERTILISER HUNGER CHIEF AID TO DAIRYING Auckland, April 14. "The Government has taken two years to answer a question asked by the dairy industry, namely, whether the Army or the land had first call on the country’s manpower," said Mr A. J. Sinclair, secretary-manager of the Te Awamutu Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited, in commenting upon the Government’s proposals for increased dairy production. The new dairying season was only 10 to 12 weeks away, and every facility must be placed in the way of farmers desiring to engage labour for the 1944-45 season, stated Mr Sinclair. He suggested that an immediate start should be made by comb ing the military camps. ‘‘Dairy farmers will shortly be requested to indicate through the dairy companies their labour requirements for next season,” said Mr Sinclair, “but they will be in a quandary because he two problems of manpower and fertiliser are interlocked. The dairy farmer has not got his tail down; he is working harder than ever, but with a sense of frustration because his pastures are deteriorating. He is reluctant to increase his dairy herd or engage additional labour when his farm is beginning to show all the evidences of fertiliser hunger. WIVES GO TO THE SHEDS “A considerable percentage of dairy j farmers are no longer concerned about the manpower problem because their wives and families have solved it by going into the milking sheds. To this type of farmer the most disquieting feature of the Government’s proposals is its inability to give any definite assurance concerning additional supplies of phosphatic fertiliser. "It is known that substantial quantities of rock phosphate arc available overseas for immediate shipment at ports widely separated, and, while it is doubtless asking a great deal at the moment to expect Britain and the United States jointly to give an assurj ance that these phosphates will be shiplied to New Zealand in the near future, the whole outlook for increased production in this country would be transformed if this could be done. Unless the Government can give the farmers some definite information on the prospect of an increased quota of fertiliser for next season before the questionnaire is issued the response may be disappointing.” COMPETITION FOR LABOUR Concerning the increase of 1.21 d per lb butter-fat as from Ist August next. Mr Sinclair said he had not met one farmer who thought this would place him on a competitive basis to attract labour to the farm. "This increase appears to be based on the standards arbitrarily set up in 1938 by the Hon. W. Nash—namely. 2501 b butter-fat a cow and 60001 b butter-fat per male unit of labour.” added Mr Sinclair. “Apart from the fact that dairy herds have never reached this standard of production, and are receding further from it each year, the increase of 1.21 d on 600011> butter-fat gives the farmer an i additional revenue of only £3O 5s a year, and he has to pay the who obtains this butter-fat an extra £45 10s a year. "Only skilled labour is of any use j on a dairy farm. So long as unskilled labour can secure much higher remuneration for a 40 to 44 hour week, this problem will present complicating factors in our industrial economy which cannot be solved by a small increase 1 in the price for butter-fat. PRICE LAST IN PRIORITIES "The dairy farmer, however, is now • placing the matter of price last on his! list of priorities for increased produc- i tion.” concluded Mr Sinclair. “His \ .order of importance is fertiliser, man- I power and price. "If the Government can tackle the j problem successfully from that angle. ' it need have no fear concerning the j response which will be made by the j industry to Britain’s urgent call for; more food to maintain the present ! meagre ration of 2oz of butter weekly, i Meanwhile, there is a tendency among' dairy farmers to suspend judgment on \ the Government’s proposals until these j are more fully outlined at the ward conferences of the Dairy Board which ! commence at the end of this month.” 1