PRIMARY PRODUCTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 123, 25 May 1923, Page 8

PRIMARY PRODUCTS.

VALUE TO NEW ZEALAND. Tho extent to whi.h tho prosperity of New Zealand depends on cattle and sheep is shown by a glance at the exports of the Dominion for the year ended March 31, 1023. The total value of exports for that period was £45, 548,817, of which butter, cheese, wool, frozen meat, and skins made up no less .than £38.200,395. This leaves a balance of £7,240,422 for the rest of the exports, including timber, gum. and flax. The exports for 1922-23 show an increase of £1,753,817 upon that of the previous twelve months. Dairy produce was 35 per cent of the export, wool [ 26 per cent, and frozen meat 21 per | cent. Even the large export of £45,548.700 for the last year was below that for the similar 'period of 1920-21, which amounted to £48,219.072. The next year the exports dropped to £43,794.833, and a recovery of £1.753,817 upon that total may be considered a very satisfactory indication of returning prosperity. It was. however, the good prices secured for wool and butter that saved the position last year, as the increase was sufficient to make up declines in the values of some other exports, and also leave a surplus. The value of wool exported during the 12 months under review totalled £11,955,507, as compared with £7.669,137 the previous year. The butter sent away was valued at £10,324,569, as compared with £8,885,820 for the year ended March 31, 1922. The combined value of butter and cheese exported was £15,808,986, while the ' wool, frozen meat, and skins were worth IJ another £22,430,373.