VALUE OF EXPORTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23887, 15 August 1939, Page 7

VALUE OF EXPORTS

THE SEASONAL YEAR DECLINE OF 6.6 PER CENT. BUTTER HEADS THE LIST Commodity exports from New Zealand for the seasonal year ended June 30 reached a total value of £57,851,312, a decline of £4,068,601, or 6.6 per cent, oi. the return for 1937-38. This follows a decline of 4 per cent, in the previous year. The decrease Is mainly due to a fall of 15 per cent, in butter shipments Although butter prices were on an average 2£ per cent, higher than in 1937-38, the total declared value fell by £2,451,000. In spite of this, butter has retained its place as the Dominion's most valuable export commodity, having supplanted wool at the end of June. 1938. A comparison for the past two seasons of exports of most value is as follows: Quantity

Shipments of wool were 18 per cent greater than in the 1937-38 season, but the average declared value was 12 per cent. less. The average price was £l4 6s 6d a bale, as against £l6 3s lOjra bale in the 1937-38 season. Large decreases occurred in cheese lamb, mutton, pork, hides, skins, tallow, and casein. There was a notable increase in exports of both frozen and chilled beef.. Gold shipments also increased, reflecting the operations of several new dredges recently opened in the South Island.

Rise or 1938-39 1937-38 Fall. Butter (OOOcwt) .. 2,468 2,918 -450 Wool (000 bales) 901 761 + 140 Lamb I :ooocwt> '.'. 2.592 2,805 -213 Cheese (OOOcwt) .. 1,599 1,691 -92 Mutton (OOOcwt) ■ .. 1,029 988 +41 Pork ((OOOcwt) 514 586 -72 Gold (OOOoz) 171 165 + 6 Frozen beef (OOOcwt) 642 589 + 53 Value Rise or 1938-39 , 1937-38. Fall. (£000) (£000) (£000) Butter 15,834 18,285 -2,451 Wool 12,899 12,326 + 573 Lamb 8,768 9,760 -992 Cheese 5,706 6,069 -363 Mutton 1,813 1,976 -163 Pork . 1,686 1,885 + 199 Gold . . 1,506 1,368 + 138 Frozen beef ,, L079 831 +248