DAIRY PRODUCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 70, 23 March 1940, Page 4

DAIRY PRODUCE.

I GISBORNE DISAPPOINTING. "IS BARELY HOLDING OWN." OTHER PRODUCE VALUES. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) GISBORNE, Friday. Autumn dairy production in the Ginborn e district has been disappointing, and it is now barely holding its own compared with the output at the corresponding period of last year. On the East Coast, however, dairy farmers are more . fortunate, for they have had a more libj era! rainfall than in Gisborne. Green feed has been plentiful there recently. The I'cbruary supply is only slightly ahead of February of last year, and only small increases have been made in payments disbursed this week. The Kia Ora .Dairy Company paid out a total of £1».11G at the rate of 1/2 a lb on buttcrfat supplies, compared with £14,730 a year ago. when payments were made on the same basis. The secretary, Mr. J. IT. Sunderland, stated that March supplies had fallen considerably from the February level, and were no greater than they had been a The Okitu Dairy Company also paid out • on the basis of 1/'- per lb on February supplies "this year, and the last cheques on . buttcrfat totalled £3225, compared with" £2805 a year ago. The secretary, Mr. P. 11. Hamilton, stated that during the first 10 days of the month, buttcrfat supplies were hardly as large as those for the corresponding period of the previous March, but they had recovered slightly since then. Even now, though, there was no increase, over the level of 12 months ago. Good Ryegrass Demands. Produce markets in Gisborne remain firm and there is little quotable alteration since last week. Certified perennial ryegrass seed of good germination is still in demand at higher level, and mother seed is selling up to 10/ a bushel f.o.b. Gisborne for machine-dressed lines. Good machine-dressed white clover is also in demand at price levels which show an increase over those of the past season. Uncertified lines arc selling from 2/ to 2/3 a lb for best samples, and in the certified division, in which there is little available, values are about 2/9 a lb. Cape barley is slow in coming in from the country, and little is available yet. Quotations range from 2/9 to 4/ a bushel. There is little change in the position for maize. Small supplies are still held in the district, but no firm quotations arc available. Local potatoes are still available in*small quantities, farmers receiving about £5 10/ a ton, while the retail rate j remains at 2/3 a quarter.