DAIRY PRODUCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16952, 3 September 1915, Page 7

DAIRY PRODUCE.

REVIEW OF LAST SEASON. A report of the review of the dairy produce market of last season, dated July 16, from the London office of the Now Zealand Loan and Mercantile Acj-mcy Company, Limited, says. With reference to the butter market: "It is hardly surprising that factories were perplexed last autumn as to what policy to pursue in the disposal of their produce. Many sold their first few month.-. output at' moderate prices the immediate future both as regards finance and market prospects abrcad baing obscure and full of awkward possibilities. Taose who consigned as much as possible of their produce have to be congratulated upon the wisdom of thendecision. The average prices on tM London market, taking the top omciai quotations for choicest quality over the rear from July 1, 1914, to June 30 1915, were approximately loVs bci roi Australian, and 138 s for New Zealand. These high prices, as in the casei ot tho:e for all other descriptions of butter v/ere. in the main, warranted by the decreased total supplies marketed, the quantity imported from all sources being 10.4 per cent less than in the previous year, and the smallest for the list ten years, but at various times inflations of piico occurred owing to artificial shortages of supplies caused by the difficulty in getting delivery, a givat dearth of labour, craft and other facilities having more or less throughout the season caused serious congestion at the wharves aud docks." Dealing with chee.o the report.says: " ThJ two most noteworthy features of the sea-on were the exceptional demand for this article for Government contracts, which had the effect of raising values of all descriptions to an unpr ccdeniedly high level, and the great increase in the imports of cheese from the United States—3os,l Slcwt, a.s against 23,30Scwfc for 1913-1914—at-tracted by the remunerative prices niling. The total imports of cheese into the United Kingdom from all sources showed an expansion of 10.4 pe r cenfc > as compared with the previous season. Forward sales of New Zealand outputs last autumn were very extensively made -jt figures which commenced at about 58',, and rose to about 64s f.0.b., pricewhich throw into relief the gratifying results which have accrued to those factories who consigned. The average price for New Zealand "choose, taking tho top official quotations for choicest quality over the year from July 1, 1914, to June 30, 1915, was approximately 85s per cwt. About the same quautity of Australian cheese as in the previous •e:unu was received, and participated in the very remunerative markets experienced. New Zealand cheese was about up to the standard of the previous season, and some attention to the flavour and pressing is still called for. The quality on arrival hero was not always in accord with the Dominion grading, and we suggest that this is because much of tho cheese was shipped in too new a condition. The cheese imported from Australia was ogam of very varying siee and quality, but a great improvement in fl.wour and texture was apparent in the case of many parcels ot first grade. The coloured cheese was often not red enough, whilo the sh;p-' ment of more equal quantities of white and coloured, would better have met market requirements."