SEASON’S PROSPECTS

Waikato Independent, Volume XLI, Issue 3892, 15 August 1941, Page 2

SEASON’S PROSPECTS

LET US FACE THE FACTS CAUSE FOR SATISFACTION The above rather contradictory headlines call for some explanation. The “let’s face facts” is called for because of what I consider to be an indulgence in wishful thinking on the part of individuals, farm organisations (in some cases), and, finally, most important, on the part of the Government, writes “H.A.5.,” in the Dominion. The Government is judged on its public pronouncements; its actual thoughts may be

far otherwise. The line “cause for satisfaction” is equally called for as, because of the shipping position and prospects, the producers of this country have indeed much cause for satisfaction. There has been a wonderful.clearance of last season’s production, we have remarkable storage capacity, and, finally, it does appear that Britain' is giving us very favourable treatment. Of this I would say that it seems her patriotic sentiment, of Motherland towards Dominion, is influencing policy quite considerably—to such an extent that she is leaving good foodstuffs nearer at hand that ours may be got away. This is with a special reference to meats. Storage and Shipping The sum total of all the information that “H.A.S.” has been able to glean, from overseas as well as local sources, foreign as well as Empire publications, leads to this conclusion—that for the coming season we can expect to ship all our cheese (100,000 tons), about half our butter (says 50,000 tons) and about 150,000 tons of meat (the equivalent of all our lamb). Nor can the writer see any justification for hopes that North America will be able, during the next 12 to 18 months, to take from us any worth-while quantities of surplus produce (wool excepted). At the same time, a warning is given against expectations of any considerable increase in local consumption offering an alternative market. As to canning, the writer does not share the optimism found in some quarters; and as for the canning of ewes, this is looked on as “a wicked waste” of material and labour.

We have little canning plant in the country, and, though more is on the way, there is still the problem of tinplate supplies to be faced—a problem world-wide and ' becoming increasingly acute. It would be ever so much wiser to use this for the canning of pig meats, possessing about three times the value of old ewe mutton; or, again, to can surplus butter. Such comment is called

for as I have word that the Government intends to have canned 10,000 tons (1,250,000 carcases) of old ewes. As to the storage position, I congratulate the Meat Board and the Government on the splendid volume now made available. I would, however, warn against any further extension of this. Meat stores available provide for 250,000 tons, eight to nine months of a year’s killings. That is enough! If more is erected and filled, then we are creating a problem of excessive magnitude for the post-war period. Dairy produce is well provided for with 50,000 tons of butter storage capacity, and 41,500 for cheese, with further extensions now proceeding. As these products have shipping right-of-way, and the storage volume equals about five months of a year's production, as normally produced, our present stores would appear about ample.