EXPORT OF PRODUCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18584, 17 December 1923, Page 11

EXPORT OF PRODUCE.

FEATURES OF EXPANSION.

ACTIVITY AT AUCKLAND.

HALF-YEAR'S - DAIRY OUTPUT.

The present activity in the shipment of refrigerated produce at the Port of AuckI land brings into prominence the remarkable expansion of the Dominion's export trade in recent years. X special feature of that expansion has been the notable development of the dairying - industry, the increase being phenomenal in the Auckland district. It is unnecessary to repeat numbers; enough to say? that the increase last season was equal to the total output in 1913, while 97 per cent, of our exportable produce is first-grade under the careful test of Government inspectors. And the industry is still only in its infancy. So far this season the production of butter in the Auckland district has been some 40,000 boxes less than the corresponding output last year. This decrease, however, is being steadily improved as th© peak of seasonal production advances. If generous rain comes before the new year the output for the season should equal last year's record. Output in Six Months. Since July 1, to date, the quantity of butter for export has totalled 602,345 boxes, representing a decrease equal to 6.3 per cent. As against this decline, however, there has been in the same period almost 100 per cent, increase in the output of cheese, the total being 53,639 crates, as compared with 27,322 last year. The bulk of the Dominion export of dairy produce is shipped to the British market, which, it is interesting to note incidentally, consumes approximately 225,000 tons of sea-borne refrigerated butter each year, and nearly 140,000 tons of cheese. These enormous quantities represent only about half of Britain's total consumption of dairy produce. There was a record increase in the importation of butter to Great Britain, and New Zealand led the Empire producers with 63,168 tons, this quantity representing a remarkable increase of 20.435 tons. Colossal Slaughter. ■ Modern trade in refrigerated meat necessitates a colossal slaughter of animals every year. In the Southern Hemisphere there are nearly 100 freezing works with a combined capacity of 4,000,000 cattle and 60,000,000 sheep and lambs per year, excluding Sundays. These works do not, of course, reach anything like their full capacity of output. The number of freezing works in New Zealand is now 46, with a killing and freezing capacity of 4430 head of cattle and 148,400 sheep and lambs daily. It is estimated that if all these works worked at full capacity simultaneously they could deal with a year's output in 50 days. The output last year amounted to 2,893,773 carcases of mutton, 4,824,811 carcases of lamb, and 266,302 quarters of beef. In 1915 there were 33 freezing works in the Dominion with a total daily capacity of 1300 cattle and 87,000 sheep. .As things are to-day, making full allowance for the depreciation of the freezing industry in New Zealand and Australia, there is from the Southern Hemisphere an endless procession of dumb animals pressing on to slaughter at the rate of 25 a minute day ana night single file 8500 miles in length. In a little over 40 years the refrigerated meat trade to Great Britain has increased from a sample shipment of 40 tons to an annual output of over 820,000 tons. ■ The total number of cattle in the United Kingdom last year was 12,061,625 head, sheep 23,761,021, compared with 3,323,223 head of cattle and 22,222,259 sheep in New Zealand. It may be noted that Britain is having a bad time as . regards serious epidemics of disease among her herds. In the early part of last year there was an exceptionally severe outbreak of foot-and-mouth diser.se at Hull, and it spread over a large part of England and Southern Scotland, entailing wholesale destruction. The < present outbreak is even more : destructive, involving the slaughter of ,70,000 head of cattle already to combat* the fell disease. \ Thia Dominion .is exceptionally fortunate in respect to the health of its herds, but experiences in other countries just now should encourage New Zealand dairymen to 1 guard jealously the fine condition of their cattle. . ~ ' Oversea Transport Development. ~ Even the most casual study of the export trade from Auckland demonstrates the _ important part the shipping companies have played in the development of the refrigerated produce industry. A high standard of efficiency in respect to the storage and shipment of refrigerated produce has been achieved, and improvements are continuously progressive. The new system of marking and limitation of lots or parcels of frozen meat to a workable minimum has practically eliminated the former confusion in handling, substantially reduced damage to meat, and avoided delay and expense to everybody concerned. Many people still tilt at the shipping companies and advocate State enterprise, but experts in the export trade take a very different view and give no support at 'all to the loose talk about shipping combines. The big shipping concerns have shared in the bad, as well as in the good times. It is said in the trade that some disadvantage is experienced through the system of loading that necessitates several calls at coastal ports before a full shipment of cargo has been obtained. Occasionally temporary difficulty is caused by the fermentation of produce in ' the freezing holds of steamers, this being especially the case in respect of cheese, which, in the process of ripening, vitiates the atmosphere and necessitates technical attention. It ; does not, however, depreciate the quality of the produce, but it does occasion some delay. If there should be a notable revival of the export of fruit from New Zealand (and the prospect of this desirable development is now exceptionally pood) it is thought likely that, ships will bo sot apart almost exclusively for the transport of fruit to London and also to South American ports. Exporters are quite confident that there will be no difficulty about tho allocation of ships and the regulation of shipments of varied refrigerated produce, including meat, mutton and lamb, butter and cheese, rabbits, bacon and eggs, and fruit. There may yet be scope for the export of poultry at the right season to secure a good market overseas. The development of the great trade in refrigerated produce is by no means complete. Magnitude of Shipments. There is a capital story told of a Border Scot, in relation to the development of tho frozen meat industry and transport from New Zealand. When informed in the more experimental stages of the trade that one of the steamers then employed could carry 45,000 cheep, he took his informant to the summit of a hill. Waving his hand across the rugged horizon, he exclaimed: "Do you see a' these hills? Well, they stand in six different' parishes, and a' the sheep in a' they parishes are no so many as you' said that one ship holds. If ye were no yer ainsel', and your faither's son for bye, I'd ca' ye a lear! Let's gae bame; I'm worried!" With the passing of the years, the trade has expanded from its thousands to its millions, and from its millions to its tens of millions, still leaving the British far- • mer little cause for worry. Each of many ships in the trade can now carry over 100,000 carcases of 561b. each. It is a wonderful industry altogether, despite its ups and downs, and New Zealand as a whole, plays an important and valuable part in it. And there is much scope for greater development and achievements. "