PRODUCE SHIPMENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23401, 18 July 1939, Page 5

PRODUCE SHIPMENTS

BUTTER AND CHEESE SEASON NEARING CLOSE LOWER EXPORT FIGURES Tho decline in dairy production i.< being reflected in export figures, ant with the close of (lie season at the etu of this month, it is evident that 'shipments will show a fairly substantia; decrease. Exports of butter for the 11 months to the end of June are over 1-1 per cent below those for the same period of tln; 1937-38 season, while cheese shipment.s are over 4 per cent lower. The butter position was aggravated by a sharp decline in exports in June, when shipments totalled 6273 tons, a* against 8110 tons in' June, ]938, and 30,100 tons in June, 1937. .Shipments for the 11 months amount to 110,060 tons, compared with 135,712 tons for the same period of the previous season and 140,049 tons in the. 10.'37-.'iß season, when a record of 140,00.'? tons was established for the full 12 months. Exports of choose recovered slightly in June, when shipments totalled 6421 tons, compared with 6036 tons in June, 19.'18. Shipments for the 11 months, however, are still 3471 tons below those of the same period of the previous season. Exports of butter and cheese for the first 11 months of the past three seasons are as follows: — BUTTER 3! i.'i.s-.'i! i 3 nrjT-rss *3 030-37 Season (tons) (tons) (tons) August ■jo.osii Ki,7:iß »,nB7 Scpl ember .. n,3n:i 11, on." 8,080 October .. 8,383 3 1,23! l 1 November .. 13,570 it. I!»0 12,020 December .. P.'.il.'il ]s, 105 37, SOS January .. Hi,520 17,085 February .. 3 1 .-_!7l < J2.K23 rj.OiiO March .. 35.525 3.">,151 11.17.") April . .. !>,077 7,.13.122 May . .. 0.175 3 1,801 30.1 1 •_> Juno . .. 0,273 8,110 3 0.155 3 I(j,O(H) 3:15,712 3 10,01!) •Export record of 1-10,003 tons established this season. CHEESE 3P38-3U 3037-38 1030-37 Season (tons) (tons) (tons) August ~ (>MIL 5, *29 5,302 September .. 0,001 0,712 4,281 October . . 3,700 0,208 5,505 November .. 7.120 A, 80t 0,580 December .. 5,570 0,807 11.253 January . . 0,507 8,012 8.780 February .. 7,02!) 0,717 5,802 March .. 3 0,302 30.028 0.223 April . .. 0,52 L 0,700 0,030 May . .. 0,001 8,350 0,855 June . .. 0,12 L 0,030 0,1.7-1 70,011 70,482 70,-100 The quantity of butter shipped to all destinations, other than the United Kingdom, totalled only 2126 tons, compared with 5043 tons in the previous season. In marked contrast to the New Zealand figures, exports of butter and cheese from Australia continue to show increases. For tho 11 months ended June 30, shipments of butter totalled 92,766 tons, as against 79,105 tons for the corresponding period of 1937-38, an increase of over 16 per cent. Cheese shipments for the same period amounted to 15,279 tons, compared with 11,463 tons, an increase of over 33 per cent. SURPLUS IN CANADA PLAN FOR DISTRIBUTION ASSISTING THE UNEMPLOYED A scheme for the distribution of the 1938 surplus of 3,000,0001b. of butter in Canada was commenced last month. The plan, which is being tried out in Montreal, is expected to be extended throughout the Dominion. For every pound of butter received in exchange for a coupon, the unemployed family head must buy an additional pound from the same grocer, lie pays for the extra pound with his usual weekly relief allowance. A plan of distribution according to the size of families has been arranged. A family of two would receive one pound purchased and one pound on a coupon all the way up to a family of 13, who would receive seven pounds purchased and seven pounds on seven coupons. The above are worked out on a weekly basis. .Montreal lias been allotted 450.000 pounds to bo distributed at the rate of 45,000 pounds a week for 10 weeks. DAIRY PRODUCTION TAIHAPE COMPANY'S YEAR SLIGHT INCREASE IN COSTS [from our OWN CORRKSPONnKXT] TAIHAPE, Monday The annual general meeting of the faihape Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited, was held recently. The chairman of directors, Mr. D. Stent, liresided. In presenting his report, the chairman said the financial position of the company continued sound, and the year just ended had been a successful bnc. There was a slight increase in the L'ost of the manufacture of butter, the :'ost this year being 2.86 d, compared 4Vitil 2.G9d la.st year. This increase could bo accounted for mainly by the rise in prices generally of materials, and' in particular of butter boxes and coal. The output this year of <ls9s tons shows a decrease of 37 tons on lastvear. This fall in output was entirely liie to the dry spell o.\|x?rieneod in the late summer. This had its effect also on the cost of production. The. average pay-out for this season is 15.41 d per lb., as against 14.33 d per lb. last year, the deferred payment being 2}d for this season. The total distributed is in tho vicinity of £BBOO for the season. MERCURY BAY FACTORY RECORD GRADING REPORTED [nv TETiKGRAPH —OWN" CO Hit KSI'ONOKNT] WIIITIANGA, Monday The annual meeting of suppliers of tho Mercury Bay Dairy Company was lield at Whitinnga. The chairman, Mr. D. Hamilton, stated that there had been a drop of 73 tons in production, but grading for the year was a record for the factory. He appealed to suppliers to improve their cream still further, and better the season's record, rho total pay-out would be 15.419 d per lb., and 4J per cent would bo paid on share capital. The three retiring directors, Messrs. Simpson, Minifie and Smith, were reflected. *