DAIRY PRODUCE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 12 April 1929, Page 7

DAIRY PRODUCE.

PRODUCTION FOR MARCH. The figures of the dairy division of tile Department of Agriculture show that the salted nutter graded for March, 14)29, were 6,160 tons, and the unsalted 313 tons, a total of 6.473 tons, compared with 5,847 tons salted and 143 tons unsalted, a total of 5.990 tons for March, 1928; an increase- of 8.0 per cent. For the eight months ended March. 1929. the respective quantities were 69,669 tons and 1,997 tons, a total of 71,090 tons compared with Ul.828 tons and 2,960 tons, a total of 61.797 tons for the corresponding period of the preceding season, an increase of 9.5 per cet. The cheese graded for March. 1929, comprised: White 6.045 tons, coloured 2.613 tons, a total of 8,(358 tons, compared with 4,144 tons white and 3,095 tons coloured, a total ol 7.239 tons for March. 1928. an increase of 19.6 per cent. The quantities for the eight months ended March, 1929, were: White 49.215 tons, coloured 23.373 tons, a total of 71,588 toils, compared with 40,862 toils white and 21901 tons coloured, a total of 62,763 tons, for the corresponding period of the preceding season, an increase of 14.0 per cent. Converting these figures into butterfat equivalent there is ail increase of iO per cent, in butterfat production for the eight months as compared with the corresponding period of the 192728 season.

Stocks held in the various grading ports a-> at 31st March. 1929, were: Rutter 3,896 tons, cheese 9,428 tons, as compared with 6,244 tons butter and 6,971 -tons cheese held on 31st .March. 1928.

BETTER AND CHEESE SITUATION

LOSSES ON FOB,WARD CHEESE CONTRACTS.

' Commenting on the position of dairy produce in February the “Grocer'’ (England) tsakl: —. “The .stocks of butter at the end of January were very light, and the February arrivals' of colonial butter will be comparatively small. There is a shortage of all descriptions of butter at the present time, and somewhat higher prices may obtain ; the quantities afloat from New Zealand and Australia are .smaller than at T.his time last year. There are smaller supplies of English butter at country districts, i and there is a. good demand, the averI age price for best- quality being unchanged at 2s Odd per lb.” During November the average price of New Zealand was 174 s to 1765. Then, in December, the statements regarding a possible shortage sent, the price up to 184 s to 186 s. Since then the figure has been gradually drifting back until it i» now at 182 sto I.Bos. As a matter of fact, in spite of the talk of a. shortage, there has always been enough butter for requirements. Most of the big people seem to have had a reserve both for Australian and New Zealand butter, and this has eased the situation. Thus, those whr> anticipated higher prices have been disappointed.

New Zealand, of course, has had a very heavy butterfat production, and the' make has been heavy, particularly in cheese. Big shipments have gone to the United States with the option of London. Much of this produce has come to London, and now we hear that some of the 112,000 boxes' by the Port Curtis will come on to London instead of being disposed of in the States and Canada. This has also eased the situation a. little. At the present range of retail quotations, the consumption of butter is apparently good; and there is little or no accumulation of stock of any kind. Practically no butter is being put into cold store either by importers or buyers as a, reserve, and evidently the great bulk of all butters whicli have been landed in this country have gone into direct consumption. It is. t hie re fore, 'apparent that at- the present high range of value buyers are disinclined to- speculate or to carry large stocks in cold store, and that is really the strength of the present market. ’ There are still some inquiries for New Zealand shipment, but the prices asked are too high. There are more forward offers from Australia than of late, no doubt due to the useful rains which have fallen in Queensland and New South Wales. New Zealand finest salted sells on the spot at ISOs to 182 s and unsalted at 184s< to 188 s : finest Australia. 180 s to lS2s ; fine. 176 s to 178 s; and unsalted, all grades, from 170 s to 186 s. With the lowering of retail prices bv an important branch of the trade it will he interesting to see what will happen. The most likely result will be the increased buying of the public and a return to higher prices. A LESSON FOB THE FACTORIES. The cheese situation rather less satisfactory. Prices have been slipping back considerably. factories which sold “lorward may congratulate themselves on their good fortune Cheese has fallen, from 110 sto 88s per cut. since tlie* beginning of the .season. in October. Whole outputs for September to December were sold by factories at O.Vd per lb. i'.-0.b.. which means about Oils, e.i.f.. or 1.01. s landed. Merchants are losing .010 a ton on these transactions, which, ol course, runs into many thousands of pounds on a large purchase. A margin of 10 per cent, in delivery is allowed the lactones. so at the present tim<* these factories are sending “every ounce of cheese they can shove into the <on- , rtuetfa'is Tboley (Street oxpressesc it. without llie slightest consideration ! fur their buyers, it will thus be seen lhat it is not always Too ley Street- [ ihat is doing the- “robbing.” Dutch is unchanged, but New Zealand is rather easier. English cheese Ii on tin ue-s t-o realise high prices; supplies must continue short until the new 1 make becomes available. There is- no material change in prices ol Canadian cheese and the demand continues restricted —white Oils to I 12s and coiomi(| 90s to 110 s. From New Zealand - the ' Norfolk has arrived with 22.275 ! crates. At the moment there is a shortage of coloured New Zealand cheese': White sells- at 88s to Ills and coloured 92s to 04s. Australian cheesei has mo-stly been cleared.