BUTTER AND CHEESE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXI, Issue LXII, 7 April 1911, Page 3

BUTTER AND CHEESE.

PROSPECTS OF WINTER, PRICES.

The recent rains in the South (the Dunedix Star says) have come too late to be of much assistance to the producer whose business it is to supply the dairy factories with material for their output. Dunedin merchants state that for this season such well-kn«wn dairying districts as Owaka and Waikouaiti are finished. No supplies can be reckoned on from them. Round about Dunedin, on the Peninsula and in the Waitafci district, - the rains will enable the dairymen to keep up their supply of fresh butter for immediate consumption for some time longer than was expected a week ago. But this side sf the business is regarded by merchants as something very small as compared with the butter for confectioners' needs. Nowadays very little baking is done at home; confectioners do it so much cheaper that it pays to buy rather than bake. A good many confectioners have already salted down their butter for winter requirements, but there are still very many purchasers, and it is to their needs that the merchants are chiefly devoting attention. They cannot be supplied from within Otago, but there is plenty of butter in Taranaki, and every trip the s.s. Corinna brings large supplies of salt butter from New Plymouth. Butter is not expected to be dear in Dunedin this winter. There are four firms in keen competition pushing the sale of various brands of factory butter. The export season practically closes here with the departure of the last boat to leave the Dominion in March. In addition, the Home market is at present not in such a condition as to tempt anyone' to export butter to Britain. . Mr J. R. Scott, secretary of the South Island Dairy Association, has just received the following cable from London: —"Butter supplies likely to be excessive in May and June, as Australian season, extended, and European season early. We have an unfavorable opinion of the future, especially as stocks are accumulating and storage is limited. We don't recommend consigning butter." •

But if our New Zealand factories which might be able to export butter find the Home market against them they will have their consolation in the cheese market. Mr Scott's cable advice from London to-day regarding cheese was: —"Canadian season late; position strong. Recommend factories to continue consigning. Don't expect any reaction before June." Both white and colored cheese have shown an advance in London, especially white cheese, which now seems to be rapidly becoming the favorite. Quotations now are 61s per cwt, but it is believed that in the next three months the price may rise to 645. Locally s|d lb (no shrinkage) is being paid for April to June delivery.