THE FARMING OUTLOOK.

Waipa Post, Volume XXI, Issue 1242, 13 May 1922, Page 7

THE FARMING OUTLOOK.

RIFT in the bark clouds. BRIGHTER PROSPECTS. PALMERSTON N., Friday. Although trade in general is anything but brisk, there is certainly a more optimistic tone apparent in business' circles, and it now begins to look as if there is a rift in the dark cloud of depression which has been hanging over us during the past year or so. Better Prices for Wool. Now that the meat export season has practically closed, growers of fat stock are beginning to realise that although prices ruling during the earlier part of the season were much below expectations, those who came on to the market later received prices which should well repay them for their outlay The stabilisation of the wool markets has put many of the pastoralists' on their feet • again, and they are looking forward with much more confidence to the future. The Dairying' Industry. So far as the dairymen are concerned, on the whole they have had a fairly satisfactory season, for if they did not succeed in ‘getting very high prices the enormous output, which indeed forms a record, should compensate in a great measure for this. The fact that the factories generally advanced only on a conservative basis during the greater part of the season rather knocked the heart out of producers during the earlier part of the season, and they became somewhat discouraged at receiving only some 8-d to 9d per lb. for their butter-fat, which was a long way behind the advances made during the previous year. However, this policy is now resulting in some very fair bonuses to the suppliers, and a moderate estimate of the actual pay-out for the season is stated to be from Is 3d to Is 4d per lb. on the year’s output, which is much better than was expected some three months ago

Yield of the Harvest. The harvest, too, has turned out well, and some very good yields of wheat have been recorded, while oats have done exceedingly well, and there is more chaff on the market than has been the case for years, the result being that it now obtainable at £5 per ton at country stations, with the result that very little South Island is now coming here, and in the future there can be very little reason why the requirements of the district should not be filled with locally growh chaff. Preparing for the Winter. Advantage has been taken of the favourable weather experienced lately to turn over land which has recently been in crop, and some large have been soym with early oats, while a good deal of land has been laid down in new pastures. Feed is plentiful on all hands, and stock-raisers and dairymen can look forward,, to the coming winter with more complacency than has been the case for some years.