SOUTH ISLAND DAIRY ASSOCIATION'S REPORT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3005, 18 October 1911, Page 21

SOUTH ISLAND DAIRY ASSOCIATION'S REPORT.

The following am the chief clauses of a report which has been issued to factories and merchants by Mr J. R. Scott, secretary of the South Island Dairy Association: —

Factories are now settling down to the work of the season. Since my circular of August 1 both the butter and cheese market ' remained strong and active. Butter outputs have sold at from to Ufd f.0.b., and cheese from sfd to 6|di f.0.b.; several sales of cheese being made in North Island at the last-named price towards the end of September. In the South Island the highest price paid for butter was 1,13 d. and for cheese 6id on truck, equal to 6 3-16 d f.o.b. The average price paid for cheese in South Island would be about 6£d f.o.b. The London market price runs very high. The Canadian September make of cheese was sold at 74s c.i.f. London, and it looks as if buyers of New Zealand cheese will make from a halfpenny to a penny profit on their purchases, which should put them in good heart to come and buy well again next season. Both New Zealand butter and cheese are well liked by the British trade, and better known as high-class goods than ever before. The following factories' make from Otago and Southland "will be slapped by West of England steamers : —Boggy Burn, Fairfield Merrivale, Mokoreta, Omimi, Ofcamita, Ofcara, Otautau, Stirling, Te Tua, Tuatal Toraca, Kean>s»gl»Ev Wrigibi'» Bush

Island, Oterattiika, Haldane, Tokonui, South Hillend. Taking--the North and South Island together, :"aur. cheese and butter are now in the-hands of the following firms. More than two-thirds of our butter and more than three-fourths of our cheese has been sold—the balance on consignment. Both the sold and consigned are included in the following statement, which is, I believe, fairly correct. In South Island very nearly all. butter and cheese has been soldi-

The Local Market.—Best factory is in gcod demand at Is per lb. I have now almost disposed Of the cheese made for local trade to end of September at up to 6gd per lb, and expect a fair demand at the latter price, and possibly over this price, for small lots of mediums that any lactones may make during the. next few months. During summer months there is not generally a market for a large quantity locally. New Factories.—This season new cheese factories are about to open as follows: Southland—Tuatapere, Oteramika, Whiterig, and Switzers; Otago-—lorara and Tahakopa. (both in Catlins district); Canterbury—Pigeon Bay.,and Mount Hutt." Some Matters for Consideration.—We start the coming eeasan under most cheerful conditions as to prices and prospects, but would do well to keep in mind matters that will tend to make the dairy' industry .. more - prosperous. The improvement of..our herds, comes first, and .already cowr testing associations are starting . with a view to bringing this about. Sterilisation of whey,and skim milk is also of the great-, est importance. We hope by this means we shall prevent and eventually, we hope, get rid of tuberculosis in both cows and pigs, and be able to start a pork export trade, to say retiring of a good local trade. The Danes add to their profits from butter about one-third more from pigs, and this we might attain also, ..and haye cooperative factories to freeze and deal with pigs spread abroad in each of our dairy districts. Already our dairy department has investigated the of making butter from whey at cheese factories, and it seems . that it will pay at the larger cheese, factories. Also that the whey ia afterwards . fit for pigs, and even improved •by" the process. The department is likely to investigate and experiment on the profitable uses of all our by-piodlucts to a considerable extent., and this work should be watched with interest by all directors of factories. At present we don't run quite on lines to make the most of every thing as we should do.

Butter. Cheese. Tons. Tons. J. and J. Londsdale 2,527 ... 8 230 Weddell and Co 3,055 ... 2,400 Wright, Stephenson, and Co. ... 1,046 ... 3,880 Joseph Nathan and Co 1,000 ... 3,225 Lovell and Christmas ... .„ 1,700' ... 1,870 Andrew Clement and Sons ... 990 ... 1,126 Mills and Sparrow , 1,050 639 Bray Bros 200 ... 1,400 Oetzes anl Gerrltson — ... 1,084 W. E. Reynolds and Co 200 700 R. and W. Davidson 830 — Foley Bros. ... ... ... ...' 550 ■•• — Dalgety and Co 350 440 A. S. Paterson and Co — 700 Lane and Co. — 900 Collett and Co. ... 395 ... — Wood Bros. ... ... ... ... ... 70 ... — New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Co. 25 80 Osborne and Co ... — 385 Pearson and Butter 40 — National Mortgage and Agency Co — 60 Totals 14,028 ,.. 22,109