MARKETING OF DAIRY PRODUCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3831, 16 August 1927, Page 21

MARKETING OF DAIRY PRODUCE.

” THE GROUP SYSTEM. AUCKLAND, August 9? Further details of the plan for the group marketing of produce of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, Ltd., and of other companies to jbin a voluntary organisation were given by Mr W. Goodfellow to-day. A new company named the Amalgamated Dairies, Ltd., has been formed to carry out the plan and Mr Goodfellow has been appointed managing director. Mr J. B. Wright will act as European manager. The registration of the new company was completed today. Air Goodfellow stated the new company had been organised for the express purpose of undertaking the supervision ot sales of dairy produce in the United Kingdom and for the marketing of both butter and cheese in all other countries where f.o.b. or c.i.f, sales had to be made. In short, the Amalgamated Dairies, Ltd , would endeavour by voluntary means to accomplish the work on behalf of the industry which the Dairy Produce Boat’d had failed to do by absolute control. An agreement had been entered into by the Amalgamated Dairies, Ltd., with tlie New Zealand Co-opera-. tive Dailies, Ltd., to market all exportable dairy produce manufactured by that concern for a period of five years, and other co-opera-tive dairy companies would, in future, have the same marketing opportunities. It was proposed to make year to yeat agreements with the factories and to noo! dairy produce with that of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, Ltd., ship for ship and grade for grade. Facilities would also be given the factories to make f.o.b. or c.i.f. sales without financial commitment.

Mr Goodfellow added that the new company had already been promised a considerable amount of dairy produce, and he anticipated that quite a substantial proportion of tlie total output from the Dominion would sooner or later come under the company’s control. Details of the new company as registered are as follows:—Amalgamated Dairies, Ltd., capital £40.000, in £1 shares. Subscribers: The New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, Ltd., 20,000 shares; William Goodfellow, 10,000 shares; J. B. Wright, 8000 shares; William Goodfellow (staff shares), 2000 shares.

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Not all the credit for upholding the prestige of Otago in the fruit markets at Home can be claimed by Central Otago. Some very fine fruit is grown on the Taieri, and this year Taieri-grown apples have appeared for the first time in Covent Garden. The grower to pioneer the way for Taieri growers is Mr Alex. M’Donald, of Outram, who has just been advised by the secretary of the Otago Provincial Fruit-growers’ Council that the Loudon brokers comment most favourably on the condition and quality of the Taieri fruit, their comments being emphasised by advice that Mr M’Donald’s Jonathans, ex tlie Somerset, realised up to 26s per case, c.i.f. This is very gratifying and leaves a handsome margin for the enterprising shipper. Mr M’Donald’s other varieties have also done well, and it is felt that next shipping season will see several of the prominent Taieri growers .trying their luck overseas. Mr Turner (secretary of the Fruit-growers’ Council) informs us that he has seen nothing finer than the Cox’s Orange. Pippin grown on the Taieri, and as this variety brings very high prices in London, it is probable that shipments next season will include some of this beautiful fruit.

It is reported from Pukerau that the local dairy company has sold its output of cheese to the end of November at SAd per lb. Commenting on the ‘-measures recommended for tlie control of brown rot in citrus fruits, a leading Gisborne fruitgrower whose commercial operations are on an extensive scale informed a Poverty Bay Herald reporter that he had found sulphate of iron, scattered on the soil, to be invaluable in the control of brown rot in lemons. The sulphate, scattered on the ground round the tree, would deal with tlie _ fungus in a very effective manner, its influence being most noticeable. All the silt left behind by a flood is apparently not for the immediate good of the land upon which it has been deposited (says the Hawke’s Bay Tribune). Statements were made to the Hawke’s Bay Rivers Board by Mr W. Richmond, of Brookfields, concerning damage done to his property by the recent flooding. This he estimated at £3OOO at least, and added that it would be four years before portions of the silt-covered land would grow grass again.

Figures prepared by Mr G. Kent, secretary of the Bay of Plenty Herd Testing Association, show the average pounds of fat per cow for the association to be 260.96, as compared with 224.39 for the previous season. In each group there is a good ratio of improvement, showing that the passengers in the herd are being discarded. If similar improvements continue in the herds the Bay of Plenty Association. -in the course of two or three or four years will have herds equal to anything in the Dominion. *’ It would be an excellent thing if an arrangement could be made with a leading representative of the Bradford trade to send out an expert to advise sheen farmers in New Zealand on the values and faults in wool,” said the president, Mr G. 11. Perry, at th® annual meeting of the Mastertoil A. and P. Association (reports the Wairarana Age). “ This is a matter which

should be taken up from a Dominiou standpoint. It should be neither very difficult nor very costly to arrange that buyers representing Bradford firms, competent men with a full knowledge of wool, should visit all the shows and give Dominion growers the benefit of their expert knowledge.”

Mr D. Jones, during his speech on the Budget, urged that the Government should sell its two agricultural farms in the North Island—Ruakura and Weraroa, upon which there had been losses. It would pay the Government to cut its losses on those two farms and transfer the stock and perhaps some of the buildings to the Agricultural College. A bold policy would be the best. The amount of money saved would go in largo measure to paying the expenses of the Agricultural College at Palmerston North.

It was stated at a meeting of the Farmers’ Union at Waimate recently that the use of sulphate of iron with sa*lt bad reduced the mortality among ewes. A number of North Otago farmers are this year trying the efficacy of this treatment.

Owing to a breakdown in machinery, there has been a shortage of superphosphates in North Otago during the last few weeks, I'aimers have been compelled to do their top-dressing with a mixture of super and guano. Advice has now been . eceived that it is hoped to have the machinery repaired and the supply of superphosphates restored next month. During a discussion on dairy control st the annual meeting of the Royal (Jan Dairy Company (according to the Taranaki News), the Chairman (Mr E P.. J’ayly) stated that he had been told on the authority of a man not connected with the dairy industry, that two men who controlled 4,509,090 meals daily, decided not to use any more New Zealiinc. buttei as soon as control was introduced. Prior to that this catering concern had used nothing else but New Zealand butter. Mr S. Vickers considered it was the action of such monopolists, who controlled about onethird of New Zealand’s butter production, tfint had caused the producer to see that it was essential that they had some improved method of marketing.