WEALTH FROM PRODUCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20131, 17 December 1928, Page 13

WEALTH FROM PRODUCE.

j EXPANSION OF EXPORTS.

HIGHER PRICES IN PAST YEAR

DOMINION'S STRONG MARKETS.

ALL-ROUND IMPROVEMENT NOTED

Under the caption, "Higher Export Pries and More Production," one of many interesting articles in the 1928 edition of the New Zealand Annual Export Review deals informatively with the improvement of the primary produce markets and expansion of exports. Reviewing the twelve-monthly period ended on June 30, 1928, the article notes the fol'owing increases per cent, in the prices of different classes of produce, compared with those ruling for the same period of 1926-27 Butter, 8 per cent.; cheese, 16; beef, 5; lamb, 2; wool, 27. In the case of only one major export did the market show an adverse trend, mutton values being quoted as 4 per cent, lower, but mutton, in any case, was giving place to lamb. In a closer analysis it is seen that the most remarkable increase was 46 per cent, in the case of hides. Along with improved values for nearly every class of primary produce, (here was a material increase in the tolame of exports. Quantities and Values. The following table compares the Tolume oi production, and the value, of gome of the main lines in 1926-27 and 1927-28. Units of quantity are hundredweights, except in the case of skins, where the number is giveD, apples in pounds, wool in bales and tallow in tons: — QUANTITIES. 1926-27. 1927-28. Butter .. 1,360.761 1.467.954 Casein .. 42.793 44.372 Cheese .. 1.487.670 1.529.872 Beef .. .. 363,208 692,231 Lamb .. 1.560.114 1,865.784 Mutton '.. ' 1*062.646 1.095.937 Calfskins . . 753.780 750,408 Hides .. 427.398 451.476 Babbit skins 15.752.173 12,333.438 Sheep skins . 10,526.748 9,998.411 Wool . .. 6C-0.381 667.225 Tallow .. 19.089 25,510 Apples .. 20,750.986 39.651.282 VALUE. 1926-27. 1927-28. £ j £ ■ Butter ~ 9,761.537 11,315.756 Casein ' .< 127.207 141,430 Cheese 6,338.376 6.360.766 Beef . i. 485.982 977.623 Lamb .. 5,460.909 6,669,196 Mutton ... 2.126.438 2.085.607 Calfskins .. 200.610 245.947 Hides . . 586.610 903.834 Babbit skins 810.428 633.090 Sheep skins. 1.617,163 1.784.634 Wool . . . 12,883.971 16.548,869 Tsllow .. 619.130 882.297 Apples .. 258,805 496,870 The period totals, including many other elasitus of produce, and re-exports, are £46,395,082 for 1926-27, and £55,619,285 for 1927-28. The figures indicate a notable revival of the beef trade and a greatly enlarged export of apples. In nearly every case it is noticed that the increase in production has been followed by more than a commensurate increase in the total value, the Dominion thus securing, as it were, a double-edged improvement over the period. Dominion's Best Customers.

Among the other odd items of export too numerous' to tabulate, it is seen that the export of eggs and potatoes fast year was practically negligible. Tho export of honey was more than doubled. Timber, coal, opossum skins, and hops showed a decrease but among the miscellany there are many considerable increases, as in the cases of dried milk, grass and clover seed, sausage skins, beans and peas, fish, potted and preserved meats, and unclassified produce.

On the frontispiece of the publication is a map of New Zealand with lines radiating from ports to show where last year's exportable surplus went. The position is indicated as follows:—United Kingdom, £40,267,966; Australia, £4,010,527; United States, £3,588,578; Canada, £2,117,096; France, £1,859.561; Germany, £1.454,701; Japan, £593,898; India, £306,281; Belgium, £301,499; Italv, £213,539; Fiji, £145,374; Hawaii, £141,248.

The swing-over of the national trade balance to a favourable p.osition is dealt with. The review states that for the 12 months ended on June 30 last exports totalled £55,619,285, which is £9,224,203 more than for the previous 12 months and only £1,830,691 below the total for the record year ended on June 30, 1925. Imports for the year ended Juno 30, 1928, were substantially lower than in the previous year and there was disclosed an excess of exports amounting to £12.121,343 as against an excess of imports of £978,605 for, the previous 12 months. Prosperous Wool Year.

The wool producers had a wonderfully prosperous 1927-28 year, with advanced prices and the benefit of two new buying agencies in Australian mills and Russia. The buying countries of New Zealand wool last season were .as follows:—United Kingdom, 265,945 bales; Germany and Austria, 91,697; France, 78,081; local manufacturers, scourers and speculators, 35,220; United States and Canada, 27,666; Japan, China and India, 21,114; Russia, Norway, Sweden, Poland and Czechoslovakia, 9038; Italy and Switzerland, 7741 j Belgium and Holland, 7210. Four per cent, of the New Zealand clip in 1927-28 was lambs' wool ; pure Merino was only 2 per cent., but it was increasing, and crossbred offerings were becoming of finer counts. Returns in the frozen lamb export trade had been most satisfactory, with improved values and the Homo markets buoyant, and easily consuming New Zealand s increased exports. The quality was now back to a high standard, with an absence of complaints about loss of bloom. In beef the same position obtained, exports for 1927-28 being double those of 1926-27. British Afmy and Navy contracts and a demand from Canada jmd the United States had improved the Now Zealand position, already made stronger by the prevalence of foot and mouth disease in the Argentine. In the frozen pork export trade killings for export showed an increase of 68,000 porkers, but a decrease of 8000 baconers The Home market was still dominated by tremendous Continental supplies, but the institution of a system of grade weights for porkers was improving the position of the Dominion. High Dairying Standards.

With the rise in the lamb trade mutton had had to take a secondary place in meat export statistics, but the wether mutton shortage Wa3 probably due to the high price of wool last season and the demand for store sheep. A further shortage might occur thl3 season. The percentage of mutton to lamb exports would probably settle down to one to throe. Satisfaction is expressed at the last dairying season, when improved arrangements were made for cool storage in Britain, 'the standard of handling improved and the Canadian market developed extensively. A new milk .condensorv had been established in the Waikato and the duality of the Dominion product was. keenly appreciated in the East. Costs were increasing in other producing »■ countries. New Zealand milk, from cows i grass-fed the year round, possessed peculiar health properties and the export trade promised to grow rapidly. New Zealand casein was - pre-eminent in the world •' markets because the cost of production here was so hitrh that it was imperative j. that only a high-grade article be pro--01 duced.