DAIRY PRODUCE

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 131, 27 February 1937, Page 15

DAIRY PRODUCE

Market Fluctuations

STOCKS AND SUPPLIES New Zealand dairy produce is quoted as follows :— Butter —New Zealand Finest Salted. This week, 88/- to 89/-.. Last week, 85/-. A month ago, 93/-. A year ago, 92/-. 89/- equals 10.81 d. lb. butterfat payout.

Cheese —New Zealand White.' This week, 54/6. Last week, 53/-. A month ago, 53/6. A year ago, 51/6. 54/6 equals 11.58 d. lb. butterfat payout.

To January 31, New Zealand butter shipments for the present season totalled 79,200 tons, an increase of 5700 tons on the same period of last season.

Australian shipments on the other hand, were down by 14.500 tons. Thus, from the Southern Hemisphere Britain will have by mid-March received 9000 tons less butter than to even date last season.

Regarding cheese, our shipments for the six months period under review are up by 2300 tons, a 5 per cent, increase. This of itself would not depress the Home market under present conditions of great prosperity and dear meats.

Recent deliveries ex London cold store have been normal. The Januuary 1937, total was 10,763 tons (the year before 10,717), for butter: cheese figures were 6888 and 5989, the latter being up by 900 tons for the month.

For the six months of the season, butter deliveries were 48,758 tons, previous season 54,415 tons. These show a drop of over 6000 tons, equivalent of 240.000 boxes.

This is a large amount of butter. Have the Marketing Board been “holding,” with the idea of keeping up the price? Likewise with cheese: deliveries are down by 3400 tons on last season's. That is about in equal proportion with the butter decrease.

The whole situation with regard to the marketing of New Zealand dairy produce is of grave public concern. Some £20,000,000 a year is involved in the trade.

Unskilled marketing might readily result in a loss on selling of 5 per cent. That modest percentage, in relation to this great trade, means £1,000,000.