BETTER OUTLOOK

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24106, 27 October 1941, Page 6

BETTER OUTLOOK

SHIPMENT OF PRODUCE " SEVERAL NEW STORES GREATER CONFIDENCE FELT With the construction of several commodious cool stores and a substantial shipping clearance of primary produce for overseas in recent months much of the anxiety felt earlier in the year as to the storage position has been dispelled and farmers and exporting firms are entering upon the new season with a feeling of greater confidence. While the position would continue to cause concern as the fortunes of war ebbed and flowed and the uncertainty of shipping persisted, the i m - - mediate prospects were considered satisfactory, stated trade representatives on Saturday. "The whole position is decidedly better to-day than was hoped for and estimated at the beginning of the year," stated a representative of a large meat exporting firm. He believed most of the stored produce would be cleared before the commencement of the new killing season next month. The shipping position had improved beyond expectations and a heavy weight of meat had been shipped in recent months. One of the most gratifying aspects was that essential foodstuffs had safely reached Britain. . The Meat Carry-over There was reason to believe that the estimated carry-over of 85,000 tons of meat at September 30. the end of the meat export year, would be further liquidated by the end of next month, when the lamb season would be entering on its peak period and the demand on storage space would rapidly increase. With reasonable shipments throughout the coming season the surplus meat and the carry-over from last season should not unduly tax the Dominion's storage capacity for meat, which had been officially stated as sufficient to hold 253,000 tons, excluding freezing chambers. Much would depend on the ability of the British Government to lift the 275,000 tons of New Zealand meat which it has undertaken to take. It was not unduly optimistic to hope that the improved rate of shipments in past months would at least be maintained in the year ahead. Butter and Cheese Three cool stores erected this year at freezing works in the Westfield district are expected to be ready for use before the killing and the dairy produce seasons reach their peak. The new store near the Auckland wharves is also ready to receive produce. Another store is under construction at Southdown and good progress is being made with a similar building at Horotiu. The st-ocks of butter and cheese held in store at the end of September are said to be slightly less than at the same date last -year. It is computed that production of dairy produce to date is about 16 per cent lower than the record figures for the corresponding period last spring. While conditions have been less favourable, farming authorities state that the production approximates that of the average spring.