DAIRY PRODUCE PRICES

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 52, Issue 3750, 1 May 1936, Page 7

DAIRY PRODUCE PRICES

FINANCE AND MARKETING PROVISIONS. MINISTER REPLIES TO CONFERENCE RESOLUTIONS. It transpired during the negotiations between the Government and the conference of ward delegates of the dairy industry that the Government does not propose to purchase all the butter and cheese manufactured in the Dominion, and that payment for cheese will be better than .86(1 above butter prices, but the exact figure was not given. The Government would be glad to discuss with the Dairy Board the handling of produce between farm and ship, to reach the best possible arrangement in the interests of the industry. Payments would be made by Government cheques, which were free of local exchange. The trading banks will lose some of their profits by this method, but they are willing to co-operate with the Government. The fixed price will not be a fancy one, but it will be Better than the prices that have been ruling for some time. They will give the decent farmer a decent chance, said the Minister of Finance, Mr Nash. Prices will be fixed from time to time by Order-in-Council as

circumstances warrant. The Government will advertise its produce overseas, and seek new markets. The Government had discussed the position regarding dried milk, condensed milk, etc., with the companies manufacturing these by-products, and it did not appear likely that the. Government would take over the marketing of those products. As far as suppliers to those companies were cotjeerned, some arrangement would nave to be made to see that they received an adequate return. At the same time the position of the companies would have to be taken into consideration. The Government must control the marketing of dairy produce after August Ist, but where agreements had been made and advances received the Government would do its best to make arrangements to complete these agreements;, but it would not promise that all agreements will be carried out. Some procedure will be worked out in connection with grading.