BUTTER FOR BRITAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21136, 19 March 1932, Page 9

BUTTER FOR BRITAIN.

INCFiEASE IN IMPORTS.

AUSTRALIA'S BIG EXPANSION. FIGURES FOR FEBRUARY. Last, month's returns show a further substantial increase in the importation of butter into Great Britain when com. pared with the figures for the corresponding period in the '-two preceding years. According to statistics supplied by the Dairy Produce Board Britain's importations from all sources during February of the past three years were as follows: 1932. 1931. 1930. Tons. Tors. Tons. N T ew Zealand . . 10.371 11,520 7,412 Australia . . .. 11,640 6,120 4,109 Irish Free State . . 103 91 219 British .. .. 22,1 It 17,740 11.740 Denmark .. .. .8,903 7,695 -8.313 •Argentine .. .. 2,903 2,362 2,138 Sweden .. .. 1,004 910 1,508 Finland .. .. 990. 890 9SO Netherlands .. 115 168 178 Estonia .... 2'2 Russia .... Other countries . . 279 92 1,228 Foreign .. 14.282 12,117 14,446 Tctula . . 36,390 29,857 26,186 These figures reveal that the imports last month, compared with February, 1931, were greater by 6539 tons. In respect of Empire countries the -increase amounted to 4374 tons. Stocks of Butter. The re-exports of butter from Britain in February also increased, a total of 3869 tons being despatched, as against 3155 tons 12 months earlier. Belgium took 1172 tons (compared with 297 in February, 1931); the Netherlands, 1122 (222); Germany, 589 (633); France; 524 (1012); Ir sh Free State, 226 (614); Switzerland, 28 ( —); Canada, 5 (82); United States,

The estimated stocks of butter in London on March 1, including private and provincial stores and steamers not discharged, totalled 16,500 tons, against 13,200 tons in March, 1931, and - 16,700 tons in 1930. Stocks in New Zealand, including those loaded into steamers which had not sailed by March 1, and New Zealand stocks afloat, • totalled 32,587 tons, against 29,550 tons in 1931, and 27,125 tons iri 1930. The total New Zealand exports last month were 10,662 tons,, of which 10,519 tons went to Britain. In February, 1931, 8833 tons were exported. The Dominion's exports since the commencement of the export season on August 1 last amount to 62,257 tons, compared with 57,936 tons in the same period of the previous season. Cheese Imports. Cheese imports during February were more than 20C0 tons less than in February, 1931, but were greater than in 1930. Details are as follows: 1932. 1931. ' 1930. Tons. Tons. Tons. New Zealand . . 8,62(5 11,980 7,950 Australia . . . . 662 405 210 Canada . . . . 187 92 33 British . . 9,475 12,466" 8,193 Netherlands . . .. 1,132 717 850 Italy .. .. 740 546 570 Other countries . . 360 283 422 Foreign .. .. 2,232 1,546 1,842 Totals .. 11,707 14,032 10,035 The estimated stocks of cheese in London, Liverpool and Bristol on March 1 were 14.319 .tons, against 17,823 tons in 1931, and 12,400 tons in 1930. Stocks iri Ne.w Zealand and Dominion stocks afloat amounted to 30,424 tons, against 30.828 tons in 1931, and 28.714 tons in 1930. Last month New Zealand exported 9857 tons of cheese, making the total for the season 49,406 tons. The figures in 1931 were 10,298 tons and 512,707 tons respectively. With the exception of five tons all of last month'# exports went to Britain.