DAIRY REVIEW.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 13 December 1926, Page 12

DAIRY REVIEW.

IMPROVEMENT IN QUALITY. VALUE OF DIFFERENTIAL ADVANCES. DAIRY BOARD COMMENDED. An encouraging note is sounded in a report relating to this season’s dairy produce, which lias been forwarded to the Minister of Agriculture (Hon. O. ,T. Hawken) bv the Director of the Dairy Division (Mr W. M. Singleton). Butter and cheese have recorded a distinct improvement in quality, and the principal stimulus towards that improvement is held to be the system or differential advance payments according to quality introduced by the Dairy Control Board “The increased supplies of butter from the Baltic States and Siberia, together with increaed quantities _ during recent years from Argentina, states the report, “have caused New Zealand dairymen to realise that, at least in the immediate future, competition will lie keen, and that good quality is of paramount importance. In view of the fact that milk may he manufactured into butter or cheese, it is further recognised that cheese is not likely to he in short supply as a rule, and that good quality is as necessary in cheese as in butter. The spring can scarcely be said to have been uniformly favourable for production. The corresponding neriod of 1925 was doubtless still less favourable, however, since for the August-November period this year we have an increased production amounting to 7.6 per cent. We are, however, some 4 per cent below the production of the corresponding period of 1924. There is. therefore, some leeway to make up on quantity. IMPROVED QUALITY.

“Climatic conditions have been more favourable to quality than to quantity of dairy produce. There has also been a general move forward by dairy farmers and factory managers with respect to quality in both butter and cheese. The manner in which the producers and managers are co-operating with the department towards effecting improvement is to be commended. Dairy companies in some- districts have been preparing for this push forward during the past- twelve months, . and from time to time during that period I have Keen requested to approve of additional farm dairy instructors to assist dairv farmers in producing a better quality of milk and cream. These reciuests have come mostly from the North'lsland, alt bon ah a number came from the South Island.' The result of the general efforts towards improvement has been gratifying. Usually spring quality of butter and cheese is not as good* as the average for the season, but the nualitv of butter this spring is practically identical with the average nualitv for all last season, while cheese shows a marked itnnrocement over last season’s average.

GRADERS’ REPORTS “The following quotations are from recent reports from dairy produce graders, each quotation having referen:e to one grading port: “Butter. —Qualify shows improvement; the quality as compared with last vear has improved; trie quality oi butter is still keening good, ancl it is evident, the companies are striving to maintain this; quality well maintained, about 75 per cent of butter giadecl during the past fortnight was classed as “finest.” “Cheese. —A wonderful improvement lias taken place in the quality of the cheese at Patea. Some of the factories that were turning out only medium quality cheese last year seem _to be aiming at something better. Ttis pleasing to see many of them scoring ‘‘finest'.” The great number of pasteurisers operating has had some effect in increasing the percentage of “finest’ cheese, lmt the greater interest in producing a better article is the greatest •oiitrihnting factor. DAIRY CONTROL BOARD. “Tt is the general consensus of opinion that the principal stimulus towards this praiseworthy improvement is the differential advance payments in accordance with quality. The board is therefore to. be commended for its action. and to it- in the final analvsis belongs much of the credit for the improvement in the quality of butter and cheese this season, COMPARATIVE PRICES. “It has, at times, been stated,” concludes the report, “that Australian blitter was selling as high as New Zealand. There have been times when Australian was in short supply, and on these occasions the statement may have been according to fact. I give below the average as figured from the High Commissioner’s cablegrams since January 1 last- to show that the relative positions are much as heretofore: Danish. 180 s 10c! : New Zealand, 167 s lOd ; Australian. 164 s 2d; Argentina, 1.57 s 5d : Siberia. 146 s Bd.” —Dominion.