DAIRY INDUSTRY

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 65, 14 February 1929, Page 2

DAIRY INDUSTRY

[review OF POSITION

fLctors in production.

“The increase in production is satisfactory, and represents one of the' most important features of the economic iue of the" Dominion. No doubt the increase is due largely to the use of fertilisers, pedignee bulls and herd-testing,” stated Mr Eliott, president of the Palmerston North] Chamber of Commerce, in _ a review of conditions in the _ dairy industry at the annual meeting, when he presented a very interesting statement.! which had been compiled from information supplied by Mr F. J. Nathan. “The official figures show a gratifying increase in the value of butter and cheese exported during the year ending March 31, 1928,” stated the report, “and {the export" table reads as follows: 1 Butter. Cheese. Total. ?££ £ p 1925 l 12,063,265 6,161,580 18,224,845 1926 ?" 9 368,371 5,829,543 15.197.919 1927 9’.033,381 5,774,113 14,807,494 1928,:; 117964 £3l 6,092,900 18,057,331 “Tile somewhat higher total for the year |nding March, 1928, as compared with ljhe two preceding years is due to the higher prices which have been received- by the producers of this Dominion. Further, we have an increase in the bulk of produce exports as coinpared'" with the preceding year #s will be seitn by the perusal of the following official figures: — Butter. . Cwts. 1925 1,370,034 1926 1,156,326 1927 1,238,032 1928 1,578,299 Cheese. 1025 1,454,708 I*6 1,347,638 I*7 1,515,525 1988 1,564,449 “The present dairying season shows a further gratifying increase in the volunip of production. In respect of the m'onths of August to December respectively the grading figures as published by tho Dairying Division are as follow®: — Butter. Tons. 1925 32,782 1526 35,615 1927 41,421 1928 ... 43,643 Cheese. 1925 33,473 1926 33,839 if 27 '85,078 1928 39,601 “The position disclosed by these figures is pleasing in that there is an increase in botli butter and cheese. The Combined increases represented in tiie blitter-fat contents of each butter and elieese being 18.4 per cent, for the months of iu2B as compared with 1927,” added the report. “Fertilising, herd testing, and culling tyave become general with many of tlnj practical dairy farmers in New Zealand and with a little more attention to these important features further jncreases in production can confidently be expected. The weather conditions t during tho opening months of the present season following a very o.\celleirt winter were very favourable* and contributed largely to the increases. Fortunately, the weather conditions prevailing during this summer and autumn have differed considerably from those*that prevailed the same months last season and the production has kept up in a very gratifying manner and there is every prospect of the increases noted above being well maintained to the end of the season.

GRfEAT FORWARD ACTIVITY. “Tile beginning of the present season was cjharacterised by great activity on the part of forward export buyers and many important contracts were entered iilto for butter and cheese, some going) as far forward as the end cf March, but more generally the contracts) terminated before the end of December. During last month much activity, particularly _ in the butter market, was displayed and selling forward became general prices constituting a) record. It is unusual to be able to retard such high prices during the montlj of January, - but no doubt the shortage on the Ehglish market lvas accounted for to a certain degree by the lqrge exports of butter to Canada, and possibly by - the- increased demand caused by the activities of the Board of Control and their advertising campaign} in Great Britain. “Good as were the prices realised by the butter factories in making forward sales, )it seems more than probable that those who continue to consign would, do even better than those that sold fprward, but the opposite "ill probably be the fact disclosed at the end of the season relative to cheese. The latter, however, can look forward to substantially higher prices being Paid for butter fat during the season oi 1927-lf)2S as compared with 1926-1927.

’QUALITY OF, CHEESE. “A .certain amount of uneasiness lias been called into the industry by the adversp reports that have been received frejm Great Britain on account ot the quality of much of the cheese that has been exported It has disclosed a weakness in body and altogether a falling olf in the quality that has been generojl for years past in New Zealand euee.se. Seeing the importance ot this industry to the country it is all important that those in charge should take every possible step to get the quality back to what it was. “Reports from London on the quality of jthe butter that has been exported, whilst not as severe as on tho cheese) market, disclose that a general improvement in the quality of" our butter? is needful and that the character of 1 the butter demanded by the users in Great Britain should be carefully watched from this end SUPPORT FOR INDUSTRY. “It |s gratifying to be able to report that tjie students attending the Massey College and taking the dairycourse, exceed the numbers anticipated and tl|e results of tlie studies, I have been informed, are such as to lead us to believe that the benefits of the college to this important industry will be more fjhan wero anticipated. I would still impress upon the producers of this country the absolute necessity of supporting their herd testing associations, manuring their lands, and culling tneir herds, so that the amount ol butterffat per cow can be and should be materially increased within the next few years.”