DAIRY INDUSTRY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 137, 11 June 1937, Page 11

DAIRY INDUSTRY

INCREASED PRODUCTION I NATIONAL BODY’S REVIEW EFFECTS OF NEW MEASURES A comprehensive review of on [eventful year in the dairy industry is . ;contained in the annual report of the 'New Zealand Dairy Conference, which , j will meet at Hamilton on June 23. . 'The conference this year will be i conducted under the National Dairy ’ ’Federation, which was incorporated in .September. The report covers the A'ear ended April 30. ; i Butter gradings for the 1935-35 , I season were 146,687 tons, compared iwith 136,217 tons for the previous . ’year, an increase of 7.69 per cent. ’ Cheese, on the other hand, showed, a ■decrease for the year of 7.68 per cent., .’the comparative figures being 85,555 . tons for the 1935-36 season, against > 192,673 tons for the previous period. [On a butterfat basis production , .showed an increase of just over 4 per . . cent, for the season. Improvement in Quality Reference is made to the definite 1 improvement in quality of both but--1 ter and cheese shown in the grading year ended March 31. Two main factors were responsible, firstly, the help given by the Unemployment Board j subsidies on new equipment, and, secondly, the incentive provided by the quality premiums under the guaranteed price scheme. As a result of these measures large sums had been spent on the installation of the latest manufacturing equipment. This movement, especially in the case of butter factories, had been aided in many instances by zoning arrangements permitting them to plan future requirements on a more definite basis. Regret is expressed that another year had passed without universal farm dairy instruction.

The Guaranteed Price Discussing the guaranteed price the report states that although the immediate reaction in the industry to the announcement of the rate was not altogether favourable it had to be admitted on reflection that the Government had carried out its undertaking [in a reasonable manner. Had it been possible to keep production costs down to approximately the same level as those of the previous season the majority of producers would have regarded the price as satisfactory, but the continuous rise in expenditure, both in the factory and on the farm, due to the Government’s policy, had given rise to very grave and justified dissatisfaction. There was every justification for the strong demand that the Government should take the extra costs factor into consideration, and make a retrospective payment to compensate for the heavy increase in farming costs. Merit is seen in the steps taken toward control of local marketing initiated in Welington. “Any scheme which obviates cut-throat competition between co-operative dairy companies must be sound from a co-operative print of view, and the operation of the present regulations will be watched with critical interest by the dairy companies in general,” states the report. Milk for Schoolchildren With reference to milk in schools it is stated that in inaugurating the scheme for free milk in schools the Government had given a lead which merited the whole-hearted support of the industry, which had already signified its approval by a donation of £lO,OOO through the Dairy Board. Practical support, it is added, should not be stopped at that. In some districts the scheme was actually being retarded because Sufficient supplies were not available through the autumn and winter. It was the industry’s job to see that that was remedied. Dairy companies or groups of companies in suitable districts might look to the future and consider the question of actually supplying the milk to the schools. At present 70,000 children were receiving a daily ration of milk and it was anticipated that the number would reach 90,000 within two months. While that might be a satisfactory beginning the Government recognised that its scheme could not be an unqualified success without the co-opera-tion of all parties.