HOW N.Z. IS MAINTAINING DAIRY SUPREMACY

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3394, 9 July 1926, Page 15

HOW N.Z. IS MAINTAINING DAIRY SUPREMACY

In the accompanying article, “Dairy Forming in New Zealand,’’ Frol. H. L. Kussell, welllinown daily autiiority, tells of the remarkable growth and advancement being made by the New Zealand dairy Industry. The article received extensive publicity in Canadian and United States trade journals and lias repeatedly been commented upon. Prof. Russell says;— "Now Zealand, 'the dairy farm of the British Empire,’ is an object lesson in dairy efficiency worthy of study by farmers. It is a country that has more than doubled its dairy output in the past seven years. It is now eagerly scanning the world mar. kets for outlets to absorb its evergrowing surplus, fully appreciating the tact that the main customer is over 12,000 miles away. “Now Zealand is rapidly and steadily forging ahead in dairy production. It is not worrying about over, production. Its farmers are confident that quality always wins in satisfying a customer, and believe they can equal, if not out-distance, com. petitors in the race for the world’s business. "They send exports to America, Denmark and the Argentine to learn their latest improvements; then these findings are put into practice. Every phase of the business is watched, from the porduction of milk on the farm, through the factory and on to the boats, until it is delivered to customers abroad, to see that no step is neglected to maintain the high quality of the product so that satisfaction will follow trade. Far From Markets. "Remoteness from markets is usually a hindrance to profitable agriculture. New Zealand Is far from her market, but has devised trans. port service to overcome this handicap. "Seeking her primary outlet first among her own people, this ‘Britain of the South’ has to carry her products 12,000 miles by sea on a journey that requires from five to seven weeks. Over one.haif of this distance has to bo made under a tropical sun. Compare her condition with that of her main competitors. Canada strives with her for the cheese trade on the English market and only has to carry her produce 3000 miles on a journey requiring a week or ten days. Denmark, her competitor in London, has her butter in Tooloy street, London, within 48 hours from the time it leaves the Danish shore. Even the Argentine is able to reach London within two weeks. Austrlia, alone, has to meet equal conditions as to distance in finding a market for her surplus. Dairying Highly Specialised. “Nearly ono-halt of all the farms in New Zealand are classified as dairy farms. Moot of those in the North Island, which contain fourfifths of the dairy cattle, when engaged in dairying, produce practical, ly nothing else but milk. This high degree of specialisation is rendered necessary by soil and climate which make crop production less profitable. In the South Island in certain sections. dairying is more mixed than it is in Canada. The Jerseys and Shorthorn grades are more numerous, but there is still much opportunity for herd improvement, not only as to breed, but performance as well. Wins Market by Quality. "New Zealand has been fully as successful in increasing her delivery of volume as she has in building up quality. Thirty.four years ago (1891) New Zealand sold to Britain only one-thirtieth as much butter as did Denmark. Since that time she has steadily gained on Danish trade, until last year New Zealand shipped to England 75 per cent, as much butter as did the Danes. It is a con. sidcrablo conquest in this market to have risen in that time from an insignificant supplier to an export business of 14,000,000 pounds of this single food product. Grading Raises Quality. “The high quality of New Zealand butter and cheese is demonstrated by the statistics of the Government grading system. During the last full vear, for which facts are available, only 4.25 per cent, of her cheese fell iclow the number one grade.' Of 'ie butter of number one grade alost (wo.thirds is superfine (92 ilnts or above, while scarcely over ie-third is regular number one .ality (scoring 88 but not reaching ■). Of the cheese of number one •ade, almost three-tenths is superic and slightly over seven.tenths ires from SS to 92 points.’’