DAIRY PRODUCE.

Northern Advocate, 5 June 1924, Page 2

DAIRY PRODUCE.

TEAR'S OPERATIONS REVIEWED. The report of the directors of the National Dairy Association of New Zealand, Limited, to be presented at the thirtieth annual general meeting, in a review of the year, states that as the result of an exceedingly wet winter with a corresponding shortage of feed in the spring, dairy cattle commenced the season in poor condition. Predictions were made from some quarters that the season would show a decrease of twenty per cent., but they are pleased to be able to report that actual results will show a much better position. "Taking the figures issued by the Dairy Division, with butter-fat as the basis," continues the report, "we

find that whilst the month of September shof.'cd a decrease of nearly nine per ccnt., by the end of November the season to that date recorded an increase of slightly over one per cent. From the end of November the majority of the dairy districts suffered more or less severely from lack of rain. The following districts fared worst: Wairarapa, Hawke's Bay, South Taranaki, and down to Palmerston, Canterbury and Otago. The effect is reflected in the gradually decreasing production up to the end of February, when the total production showed a decrease of slig'htly over two per cent. From early in March good rains were experienced in all the principal dairying districts and with the continuance of warm and .humid conditions the position showed considerable improvement. In some districts individual dairy companies show a considerable increase in their March production, and at time of writing this report the indications are that there will be a good autumn production. At April 30, the totals show that butter decreased from 03,964 tons in 1923, to 50,426 tons in 1924, a decrease of almost twelve per cent. Cheese recorded an increase from 55,584 tons to 05,903 tons, equqal to almost eighteen per . cent. On a butter-fat basis, however, the season shows a decrease of a little over throe per cent. IMPORTS INTO GREAT BRITAIN". '•'The imports into Great Britain for twelve months ending December 31 for the last two years are shown as follows: — BUTTER, | • .1922. ' 1923. I From cwt. cwt. Finland 117,274 11(5.076 i Sweden 16,554 39,202 Denmark .1,423,796 '1,862,295 j Holland 78,615 174,493 France 21,157 94,389 j United States 34,354 .10,578 1 Argentine .... 356,158 491,256 Australia 901,507 509J191 New Zealand . 1,103,444 1,130,705 Canada 154,532 39,834 Other countries 61,170 657,218 Total cwt. ... 4,268,50.1 5,125,297

"New Zealand's quota is 22 per cent, for 1023, .as compared with 2(5 per cent, in 1922. In our last annual re-, port mention was made of the fact that the production of butter in the Southern Hemisphere had grown until it represented 55 per cent, of the total importations into Great Britain. For 102''. the percentage is only 41 per cent., due to the decreased quantitysent from Australia, and the larger quantities sent from Denmark, Sweden, Holland and France. Britain has become a more popular market for those countries owing to the lack of .purchasing power on the part of Continental countries. Unstable conditions still maintain and in many of these countries the currency question has gone from bad to worse during the year. "The cheese figures are as follows:— CHEESE. 1922. 1923. From ewt. cwt. Holland 175,7(5.1 208,023 Italy 40,256 104,970 : United States 21,998 42,597 i Australia 99,720 40,370 ! . New Zealand 1,294,779 1,308,054 I | Canada. 949,042 1,001,492 ' Other countries 77,789 75,142 i i Total owl. ... 2,059,345 2,841,254 ■ "New Zealand supplied 48 per cent. ' of the tohil in 1923. which is exactly the same percentage as in 1922. From ! the Southern Hemisphere in 1923 the * supply has been almost 50 per cent, of the total as compared with 53 per cent, in 1922. "On statistics, cheese would appear to he a more stable proposition than butter, as the total importations into Great Britain during he last three years have remained almost unaltered, whereas butter shows an increase of approximately 45 per cent. Special note should be taken of the fact that the increase in butter is coming largely from the Continent of Europe. From al! the information that can be obtained this is not due to increased production but rather lack of purchasing power on the Continent itself, ■ami until economic conditions there improve a large surplus must find its way | to Great Britain. The Argentine has , shown an increase, but Australia • .shows a sharp decrease. There are j rumours that Siberian butter in re-ts-i oaaMe quantity will be on the London market during the present ISngl's-h su'-iMivcr, but no authentic information is mailable-.

COST OF PRODUCTION SHOULD BE REDUCED. "In New Zealand it is safe to say that in ordinary seasons there will be ( a steady increase in the production of j butter. The manufacture of cheese j will fluctuate within certain limit;-, ; but with the universal adoption of | home .separation it is doubtful if there [ can be any great increase in cheese production. "Herd testing is becoming more popular, and with the increased use of purebred stock should result in ;i hotter return per acre from the loud used for dairying, and to mainta'n the dairy industry of this Dominion on a sound basis it is necessary that the land now in use should give a better return per acre rather than the utilisation of a groater area of land. If asked to hazard an opinion as to the most necessary development, in the industry, the answer would be that the cost of production. Every producer should focus his attention on ihis poiut, for it is extremely doubtful '.f prices for the months in which our largest quantities are delivered to the markets can be expected to rule as a general thing as high as the average of the last few seasons. QUALITY. "The season has been a trying one for factory managers, and in many districts very considerable difficulty has boon experienced in keeping up the quality of both butter and cheese at certain periods of the year. Speaking generally, the industry has every reason to be proud of its factory managers, and when up against difficulties as above mentioned, they have left no stone unturned to enable them to keep up the Dominion's high standard of quality. The jjpairy Division have established a staff at the different grading ports to provide for the testing for moisture in every churning of butter shipped from the Dominion. "In connection with butter boxes wo think the time has almost arrived when the boxes should be wire-bound as in the case with cheese crates. Inexpensive machines are now available for doing this with a minimum of time and cost. "Taking a glance back at the results of the last few years it is realised that the following movements have been developing with a corresponding improvement in quality, viz., pasteurising of milk for cheese making, farm dairy instruction and inspection, and #eam grading."