THE EXPORT OF BUTTER

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14929, 29 February 1912, Page 9

THE EXPORT OF BUTTER

A RECORD SEASON.

OVER 13 PER CENT. INCREASE.

PROSPERITY OF DAIRY FARMERS.

Providence has smiled benignantly upon tho dairy farmer in the Auckland province this season. Favourable weather conditions and high prices have mado him wax prosperous. The rain that has fallen during the past week came just at the right time, as the pasture was beginning to feel the need of moisture. Now the fields are bright and green again with luxuriant and nutritious feed for the cattle. This season is sure to be a record one for the batter yield, the increase of exports over last season being already over 13 per cent., with a prospect of the increase being at least 20 per cent, by the end of the season. During the past two or three months the fortnightly shipments of butter have shown gratifying increases over the corresponding periods of last season, and there seems every prospect of merchants not only being able to fulfil increased contracts abroad, but that sufficient butter will also be stored to meet local requirements, so that it is anticipated that prices locally will not reach the high figures, that were prevalent here last season owing to the shortage of supplies. The butter coming forward for export from the province for tho past fortnight totals 17,000 boxes, L«qual to 3500cwt, as against 9345 boxes, equal to 4672£cwt for the corresponding period of last season. Of this quantity 15,350 boxes will be taken by the Corinna to Wellington on Saturday, for. transhipment to the steamer Rotorua, which will shortly leave for London. The Corinna will also take 1000 boxes to Wellington for transhipment to the 'Frisco steamer Tahiti, the consignment being for the Vancouver market. The remaining 650 boxes is destined for the West of England market, and will also bo taken to Wellington by the Corinna for transhipment at that port. The export of butter for the present season now reaches a total of 255,774 boxes, equal to 127,887cwt, as against 224,701 boxes, equal to 112,350£cwt, for the corresponding period of last season. This represents an increase 0f,13£ per cent, for tho present season. For this season there has been an increase of 5098 boxes in tho amount of butter sent to tho London market, an increase of 17,891 boxes sent to the Vancouver market, and an increase of 8084 boxes sent to the west of England. The prices for butter still continue steady. The latest cabled report from London gives the following market quotations: —New Zealand, 130s to 1325; Danish, 137s to 138s; Australian, 126s to 128s. Calculated on the basis of 130s per cwt, the value of the past fortnight's shipments should work out at £55,250. During the present season tho London price-for New Zealand butter has not been Jess than 130s per cwt, so that the value of the butter exported from the Auckland province so far this season, must have bee;; worth at least £831,265.

The export of cheese for the past fortnight consists of 650 crates for London and 300 crates for the west of England. This brings the export of cheese' for this season up to 7304 crates, an increase of 1515 crates over the corresponding period of last season.