SEASON’S PROSPECTS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 239, 27 September 1930, Page 5

SEASON’S PROSPECTS

FOR DAIRY PRODUCE. NO PRICE INCREASE EXPECTED. [Per Press Association.] Masterton, Sept. 26. “The prospects for the coming season are far from encouraging, the value of the butter on the Home market being only a little better than 1/- per lb., and the advance against shipping being down to lid per 1b.,” stated tho chairman of directors of tho Masterton Dairy Company, Mr. J. C. Ewington, in addressing the annual meeting of shareholders. “The buyers of both cheese and butter last season lost considerable sums of money over their forward purchases, and no doubt they will be very careful this year in their buying operations. Last year the Canadians bought big parcels of New Zealand butter, but with their prohibitive tariff that market at present is not open to us, unless some agreement can bo entered into with that country. I believe progress has been made in that direction.

“Tho past season has been most difficult from a marketing viewpoint—in fact, almost a lottery. The season opened fairly well with some good prices offering. Fortunately we sold a few good-sized parcels and soon after prices slumped, with prices falling as low as 120/- per cwt. Since then the market has not improved to any appreciable extent, which shows that the public at Homo has not the money to spend and consequently we cannot expect a big increase in prices at present.”