RECORD DAIRY SEASON

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 76, 22 December 1924, Page 9

RECORD DAIRY SEASON

MR. SINGLETON REVIEWS PROSPECTS / "With increasing competition from the Argentine, the Baltic States, and Siberia, we must keep our butter on a plane so high above the quality of those countries that New Zealand will be in a higher class and not in direct competition. Our cheese is being used ever ever-widening districts in the United Kingdom and more grocers are using it the year-round." Mr. W. M. Singleton, director of the Dairy Division of the Department, ot Agriculture, made tho above remarks when discussing dairying matters with a representative of the "Taranaki Herald.” He expressed satisfaction at the removal of certain disabilities in regard to quality, but pointed out tbe great desirability of there being no slackening of effort to secure the very highest quality. Speaking of the current season, Mr. Singleton said there had been an increase in the butter production of New Zealand, a decrease in cheese, and an increase in butter-fat. If the summer was equal to tho average, wo were likely to have a maximum yearly production by the close of the season. "The season bids fair to give a production which will exceed that of any other season or year, provided we get average summer and autumn conditions,” said Mr. Singleton. "The yield of butter-fat, as evidenced by tho grading figures for tho season from August 1 to the end of November, shows an increase of over 10 per cent, compared with the corresponding period of last year. Of, this increase North Taranaki has contributed its full quota and more, inasmuch as the figures for the port of New Plymouth represent an increase of 18 per cent. The season in the South Island has not been so propitious, and this has tended to reduce.the figures we -would have obtained had the South Island production been as favourable as that of the North Island. The increase has been evidenced in tho production of butter rather than in cheese, and this has 4 ’ been contributed to by the dual plant factories’ devoting their attention to butter for a longer period during the spring, doubtless due to the fact that returns from butter, as .evidenced by the price quoted in the High Commissioner’s cables, .have been so much more favourable than those from cheese up to the present. "It will be recalled that during last season some complaint was made with reference to too much neutraliser or soda flavour in some brands of New Zealand butter.” Mr. Singleton proceeded. "An endeavour has been made by the daily staff and factory managers to overcome this difficulty, and tho quality qf the butters going into the grading stores this season gives good reason to expect that there is much less, ground for complaint in connection with this soda flavour in this season’s butter.

“It is also pleasing to note that the trouble previously experienced with execs/: water in New Zealand butter has be/ n satisfactorily dealt with. It may b</ recalled that not one official complaint was received last season regarding l/ew Zealand butter being found on the markets of the United Kingdom showing more than the legal limit of water, despite the fact that during the preceding season quite a number of complaints wore received and a number of factories were mulcted in considerable loss. 'During the 1923-24 season additional staff was put on and one box butter from each churning was tested for water at the grading store. Any churnings found to contain an excess of water were withdrawn from shipment. It is pleasing to note that this season the percentage of churnings found to contain an excess of water shows a marked reduction on the number found during the corresponding months of the spring of 1923.” Turning to the question of the standard of grading, Mr. Singleton said: “For some years there has been a growing demand from directors of dairy companies for more particular recognition of the higher quality butters. The matter has received consideration at a. number of conferences and after consulting tho importing houses and iho dairy people tho Department has decided to raise the minimum points for first-grade butter and cheese from Jan”, ary 1 next. Complaint has been made regarding the quality of some of our low-scoring first-grade butters, and it is believed that the raising of tho minimum points will induce the manufacturers of much ■of this class of butter to make a more strenuous endeavour to produce better quality; if not, this low-scoring first-grade butter will, after the New Year, be branded as secondgrade rather than first-grade. This applies to cheeso as well as to butter. This action shoilld be in. the direct interests of, the dairy producers, and should be of assistance in bringing more money into the Dominion for tho benefit of the suppliers and tho community generally. "Tho present minimum points for first-grade butter or cheese are 88. After January 1 they will be 90, although for the balance of the season tho grading will be eased to some extent, so that the change will not be quite abrupt m it otherwise would be."