RECORD DAIRY YIELD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20171, 4 February 1929, Page 11

RECORD DAIRY YIELD.

PRODUCTION IN PROVINCE.

ADVANCE STILL MAINTAINED. GREAT JANUARY INCREASE. The remarkable increase in the dairy production of the Auckland Province continues to be maintained, and up to the end of January, the first seven months of the present season, the yield is over 12 per cent, in advance of that for the corresponding period of last season. A further gratifying- feature of the season to tho dairyfarmcr is the more satisfactory price being realised by New Zealand dairy produce on the London market. Tho present quotations are 181s to 184s per cwb. for butter, and 92s to 95s for cheese, compared with 160s to 162s and 92s to 93s respectively at this time last year. The substantial drop in production figures anticipated during tho month of January failed to eventuate to the same extent as for some seasons past, and the quantities of dairy produce received at the city grading stores, over 314,000 boxes of butter and 28,000 crates of cheese, represent a decrease of 9000 boxes of butter, but an increase of 1000 crates of cheese. Considered in terms of butter-fat the returns represent an increase in production of nearly 30 per cent, compared with January, 1928. Effect o t Favourable Weather. As January of last year was preceded by an exceptionally dry period the yield was affected to a large extent. This season, on the other band, has been fortunate in the short rains at the end oi November and during December, which maintained a vigorous fresh growth, retarded very little by the subsequent dry spell. Even so, the figures are remarkable, and are a striking reflection of the progress of the dairy industry in the Auckland Province. In terms of butter-fat, this season's production to date shows an increase of 40 per cent, over that of the same period in the season 1925-26, 25 per cent, over the record season, 3926-27, and over 12 per cent, over the season 1927-28. Following is a summary of the number of boxes of butter and crates of cheese received at the grading stores of the Auckland Farmers' Freezing Company during January, followed by the receipts for the season to date, and tho quantity in store at the end of December, -with comparisons for tho corresponding periods of last year in each case:— Butter. Cheese. 1929. 1028. 19'29. J 928. January . . 314.002 242.749 28,245 21,074 Season ..1,508,009 1,344,137 119,819 101,492 In store . . 150,184 142,840 13,634 22,280 Output lor Seven Months. The quantity of butter in store at the end of last month was 13,000 cases more than at the same time last year, and 23,000 more than at the end of December. The amount of cheese still in store is over 38 per cent, less than last season, and over 14 per cent, less than the quantity at the end of December. Following are details of production of butter and cheese in terms of pounds of butter fat for tho first seven months of the current dairying year, compared with the corresponding periods of the preceding season : 1928. 1927 .Tilly .. .. 1.420.530 1.024,479 August . . . . 4.304.770 3.315,318 September . . 8,800,557 7,995,408 October . . . . 13.858,090 12.355,767 November . . 16.704.587 15.889.567 December .. 16.997.550 16,451,750 1929. 1928 January . . . . 16,625.039 12,818,013 Totals . . 78,691.735 69,850,302 It will he seen from the above figures that the month of January shows the first check in tho season's production, but in view of the great difference in the figures for the same months of last year there appears to be every prospect of the record being continued to the end of the season. ■