“WORST FOR MANY YEARS”

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12458, 28 May 1926, Page 3

“WORST FOR MANY YEARS”

LAST DAIRYING SEASON U.S.A. SHUTS OUT DOMINION BUTTER MORE FOR MOTHER COUNTRY “The dairying season now drawing to a close has been one of the worst experienced throughout the Dominion for many years, consequently the high production of last year has not been maintained,” said Air W. Perry, president of the Royal Agricultural Society, in his presidential address last evening. Mr Perry quoted the following figures;— BUTTER. Cwt. £ 1922 824,478 8,885,820 1923 1,273,190 10,694,796 1924 1,186,278 10,322,398 1925 1,238,370 10.903,947 1926 1.132,603 9,176,123 CHEESE. Cwt. £ 1922 1,322,624 7,607,553 1923 1,312,504 5,643,775 1924 1,485,170 6,873,960 1925 1,386,363 5,872,079 1926 1,314,218 5,684,913 “Although the winter was comparatively mild in most of our dairying districts, cold bleak weather with cold drying winds prevailed during spring and there was very little growth of grass until late October,” said Mr Perry. “Owing to the drought in some districts hundreds of • well-bred weaner calves had to be slaughtered whilst in many cases even good milking cows had to be sent to the works as the only available market. Few dairymen will come through the winter in these districts without severe loss, as their herds have not had a chance to pick up during the whole season. “During the year a number of countries which have been importing some of our butter, either directly or indirectly, have adjusted their tariffs. Early in the season a duty of some eleven shillings per cwt became operative on foreign butter going into Germany.' This caused decreased imports of butter from London and Denmark into Germany, and as the purchasing power of the Germans has been lessened, butters used were of the cheaper qualities. MORE TO MOTHERLAND “As from April sth the U.S.A. have increosed the duty on imported butters from eight to twelve cents. This would appear sufficiently high to prohibit exports of New Zealand butter to that country. In view of the fact that in 1925 the value of our total imports from the U.S.A. was almost nine millions and that the U.S.A. only bought a little over four millions worth from New Zealand, this means that the U.S.A. is now practically refusing the acceptance of any butter as payment for what we purchase. “The effect of the revision or the German and U.S.A. butter tariffs must have the effect of diverting more butter to the United Kingdom which in itself will not tend to raise prices or even keep them up. “Year after year herd-testing has shown a marked increase throughout the Dominion. During last season nearly 200,000 were under test. That there is need for systematic testing is borne out by these figures Highest cow under test 1924-25 870.071bs butterfat for 365 days, whilst the lowest average recorded was 28.611bs for 223 days. The average return per cow last season was 2231bs of blitter fat which at Is 6d per lb represents a return of £l6 19s 6d per cow for a season of 229 days’ milking. It is quite apparent that systematic herdtesting must be undertaken by dairy farmers to secure the maximum production at a labour and feeding minimum . ~ , “Next season's operations under control will be watched with a good deal of expectancy, but apparently the Dairy Control Board is not taking a great deal of risk providing that it does not commence holding up supplies.” •