EXPORT TRADE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 5, 3 December 1932, Page 10

EXPORT TRADE

AltE THERE TOO MANY PORTS? UNECONOMIC HANDLING OF PRODUCE. An important aspect of tho vital problem of effecting a readjustment between production costs and selling prices of tho Dominion's produce is tho uneconomic system of handling tho export trade at numerous coastal ports, which is discussed in a report by tho Dominion secretary of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union.

During tho last two or three years there lias been no change in the extravagant system of handling and loading produce for export at some 10 ports and very little, if any, reduction in costs. Indeed, costs from farm to f.o.b. have remained most rigid; and until there is a drastic reform of the costly and wasteful system of sending fleets of largo liners “tramping” for weeks round the const to load farmers’ produce it is difficult to see where any marked reduction in such costs can be made.

Tho report points out that in tho North Island there are four loading ports whore vessels trading with Great Britain can berth alongside wharves — viz., Auckland, Wellington, New Plymouth, and Opua; in tho South Island there aro six—viz., Picton, Lyttelton, Tiniaru, Oainaru, Port Chalmers, and Bluff. There are five open or roadstead ports in tho North Island —viz., Gisborne, Napier, Wanganui, Waikokopu and Tokomaru Bay, where all work is carried out by lighters, but only one in the South Island —Nelson. Of tile tonnage handled in 1930, tho main ports handled 5,019,085 tons, or 68.1 per cent., the secondary, ports 1,566,107 tons, or 21.2 per cent., and the minor ports 787,108 tons, or 10.7 per cent. Of tho 16 ports on the Now Zealand coast, at which ocean-going vessels call, dairy produce is shipped at Auckland, Wellington, Now Plymouth, Gisborne, Napier, Wanganui, Lyttelton, Tiniaru, Port Chalmers, and Bluff. Of the iU< different loadings of dairy produce for the season 1931-32. three were loaded at ono port, 14 at two ports, 22 at throe ports, 36 at four ports, 21 at five ports, 9 at six ports, one loaded at seven ports, and ono at eight iiorts. Averaged out on the 107 vessels, tho number of ports called at for dairy

produce is slightly under four per vessel. Nelson, Picton, Opua, Oamaru, and Waikokopu average out about ono ship per month. Iho order of tonnage of butter loaded for the year ended December 31, 1931, was: —(1) Auckland, 70,424 tons; (2) Wellington, 12,497 tons; (3) New Plymouth, 9440 tons; (4) Lyttelton, 2049 tons; (5) Napier, 2021 tons; (6) Wanganui, 1981 tons; (7) Gisborne, 1759 tons; (8) Port Chalmers, 617 tons; (9) Bluff, 499 tons. Tho amounts of cheese loaded at the various ports wore:—(1) Wellington, 17,817 tons; (2) Auckland, 17,224 tons; (3) Now Plymouth, 17.183 tons; (4) Bluff, 12,924 tons; (5) Port Chalmers, 2131 tons; (6) Wanganui, 1690 tons; (7) Tiniaru, 824 tons; (8) Lyttelton, 703 tons; (9) Napier, 125 tons; (10) Gisborne, 39 tons. DAIRY BOARD’S POLICY.

As far as tho dairy industry is concerned, an effort will be made by tho New Zealand Dairy Produce Board to reduce tho number of ports of loading for the majority of steamers. Tho board’s idea is to concentrate its loadings on tho so-called “time-table” passenger ships as much as possible, and give them larger quantities of dairy produce at tho main dairy produce ports, Auckland, New Plymouth, Wellington and Bluff. This would mean, with the increased quantities of butter and cheese, that these vessels would not be required to visit so many ports. Other ships cduld visit the out-ports where there might be largo loadings of frozen meat and wool.

Auckland, Wellington, Now Plymouth, and Bluff ship about 90 per cent, of the Dominion’s butter and cheese. Auckland and Wellington would probably require to be served by most steamers, with, say, New Plymouth and Bluff by alternate ships. The principal loadings of fresh fruit for the English market during 1931 were: —(1) Wellington, 9193 tons; (2) Port Chalmers, 3464 tons; (3) Auckland, 4120 tons; (4) Nelson, 1543 tons; (5) Lyttelton, 960 tons. LOADINGS OF MEAT.

During tho whole of 1931 the following loadings of frozen meat took place:—(l) Wellington, 44,558 tons; (2) Lyttelton, 29,510 tons; (3) Auckland, 20,077 tons; (4) Napier, 17.918 tons; (5) Bluff, 16,541 tons; (6) Wanganui, 14,756 tons; (7) Gisborne, 13,510 tonsi; (8) New Plymouth,

13,050 tons; (9) Tiniaru 13,049 tons; (10) Port Chalmers, 11,496 tons; (11) Oamaru, 5400 tons; (12) Tokomaru Bay, 2483 tons; (13) Picton, 2346 tons; (14) Opua, 2243 tons y (15) Nelson, 453 tons. . j The aim of both the Meat and Dairy Boards lues been to spread as evenly as possible tlio delivery of their commodities on tho English market, thus preventing large quantities of primary produce at long intervals producing “gluts.” This policy naturally increases tho number of loading ports for each vessel. When, some time ago, tho Oversea Shipowners’ Allotment Committee was approached to reduce the number of ports visited by ocean-going vessels to complete their cargoes, the reply was made that tho “committee always endeavours to minimise the number of ports of call for vessels as far as the contracts with the meat and dairy produce boards will permit.” To anyone who has studied New Zealand’s oversea shipping problem, the report adds, it i.s obvious that the present system of collecting primary produce for export is uneconomic, for the averago number of days a cargo steamer spends on the coast is 45. This time could with advantage bo reduced by 50 per cent. Owing to prolonged delays at roadstead ports caused by bad weather conditions, refrigerated lighters, or the provision of insulated containers, to carry the meat from the freezing works to the ships’ side have been suggested. If put into effect there must be an increase in the cost of loading at roadscad ports, but something will have to be done along those lines if New Zealand wishes to improve the standard of meat exported, or to safeguard the loss of weight by “sweating.” The present policy as regards freight costs between New Zealand and London is a flat rate of £5 per ton, irrespective of the port of departure, time in handling, port charges and facilities. As far as is known, it is not the policy of the shipping companies to have their vessels calling at a large number of ports, hut a policy dictated by interests in New Zealand to encourage the use of our secondary ports. It must not be forgotten that in normal times, many ships from England are compelled to visit a number of ports to discharge cargo from England, and while there load up again with as much primary produce as is offering.