THE BUTTER AND CHEESE MARKET.

Otago Witness, Issue 3030, 10 April 1912, Page 20

THE BUTTER AND CHEESE MARKET.

Mr J. R Scott (secretary of the South Island Dairy Association) is in receipt of communications from well-known London firms which do an extensive business in New Zealand butter and cheese. The letters are dated February 23, and contain items of general interest to those connected with our butter and cheese industry. vnc company states that " Prices for cheese continue fairly firm, and are likely to improve. We may also see some improvement in butter owing- to the period of diminished supplies, which is likely to prevail in March. But we have pot to about the breaking point in butter, and do not think it can remain higher than 130 s. Anyhow, your producers have had a splendid innings this time, and we expect they will have great ideas for next sea.son. With the exception of all but a vv<v>k,'s very cold weather, we have had a mild winter, which has been favourable for the consumption of cheese, but on the other hand has probably been against butter. It looks as if wo might have a late cold spring in Europe, in which case prices might keep high longer than anticipated, but in matters of weather one can never tell." Another London firm writes thus: " Oonsi Grning factories of both butter and cheese will this year score well, and have reaped a ricL harvest, prices for both articles still being greatly in producers' favour. The quality of New Zealand butter now arrivxig is excellent, and we iiave had returned for our best brands ex e.s. Corinthic 1335. A larger proportion, than ever of buyers in now asking for Now Zealand. Quality is still up to the standard. The shipment by the Corinthic cleared at 72s for white and

71s 6cl for coloured. At present buyers aro inclined to operate cautiously owing to the threatened national disaster in the shape of a coal strike. Should this be averted, or, if it is inevitable, after work is resumed wo look for a continuance of good markets and satisfactory prices for New Zealand butter and cheese." A third communication says, inter alia: "The producers of New Zealand are certainly having a very wonderful time, and those who have bought either butter or cheese are doing exceedingly well. The trado for Australian and New Zealand butter to-day is, however, somewhat quiet and dull. This applies also to New Zealand cheese. . . . While the market is on- the slow side, yet we do not see any reason to anticipate for some long time an- serious drop in the pnicc. The quantities coming to hand are light—in fact, from November 4 until February 10 the total shortage from all sources is 169.524 cwt —equal to 339,048 boxes. There are rumours of strikes . . . but very many of the retailers in the districts most interested do not think that they will detrimentally affect the price of butter—in fact, some say that tho men, having less to spend, will have to eat more bread and butter and bread and choese a-nd curtail luxuries or meat. In any case we look for a continued range of high prices right through." In tho light of the foregoing information, it is apropos to republish our usual weekly cable received on Saturday :—" The butter market is demoralised. Although supplies are small buyers are refraining from operating. Danish, 131 sto 1345. Choicest Austalian, 122 s and occasionally 1245; secondaries (almost unsaleable), 116 sto 120 s. New Zealand—Choicest. 124 sto 1265. The cheeso market is quiet. Kcw Zealand 74a to 74s 6d." Mr J. R. Scott (secretary of tho South Island Dairy Association) has drawn up tho following report for the month ended April 2: The exports of cheese and butter from all ports continue good, and considerably ahead of last season's shipments, as will be seen from the list of shipments below: - Selling Agreement.—Tho committee met on tho 29tn March, and went carefully through this agreement, as drafted by ■ me, and also the opinions on it by factories in letters received. It has taken all these into consideration and has now drafted a selling agreement, which it intends to submit as it stands for adoption as the "South Island Dairy Association's Soiling Agreement" at tho annual meetinir in June London Market. —Butter has declined about 4s per cwt during the month, but still stands at about 125 s per cwt; and the tendency is for a decline in prices, and tho market is stagnant. Cheese has risen about 3s per cwt during the month, but now stands at about 74s 6d, and may go even higher. It is usual for the magnates of tho trade to depress the market about tho end of April, to enable them to buy Canadian, which is still the biggest cheese import to Britain, at as low a price as possible. This year it will lx> difficult for them to depress the market, as supplies are short and New Zealand landing is distributed as fast as it arrives. I look to the market for Now Zealand to remain good up to July, or even longer. New Zealand cheese is giving great satisfaction to buyers, and is getting known to a larger circle of buyers every year as a first-class cheese. Shipments ik March. I Dominion to London. —March 3, Rotorua, 35,855 boxes butter, 11,790 crates cheese; . March 10, Kaipara, 7433 crates cheese: March 22, lonic, 26,747 boxes butter, 8301 orates cheese; March 27, Waimana, 64 boxes butter, 10,186 crates cheese; —totals, 62,656 boxes butter and 37.710 crates cheese I —an increase on corresponding period last .year in butter of 25,837 boxes and oi j 40,800 orates of cheese. Dominion to West of England —March, Somerset, 2153 boxes butter, 11,353 orates cheese;—an increase of 1896 boxes butter and of 4462 crutes of . cheese on March last year. Bluff to Lon- j don—March 12, YVaimana, 3645 crates cheese; March 25, Turakma, 3335 crates , obeese. Bluff to West of England—March 18, Somerset, 4149 crates cheese; —total, j 11,129 crates cheese;—an increase of 737 | orates on March last year Dunedin to ! London —March 14. Rotorua, 1032 boxes i butter; March 14, Waimana. 557 crates I cheese ; March 29, Turakina, 2444 boxes j butter, 632 crates cheese;- -totals, 3476 boxes butter and 1189 crates cheese. Dun- [ edin to West of England March 19. ; Somerset, 1706 crates cheese. Lyttolton to London March 4. Rotorua, 157 boxes butter, 471 crates cheese; March 19, lonic, 358 boxes butter; March 25, Waimana, 484 boxes butter; totals, 999 boxes butter, 471 crates cheese. Lyttelton to West of England March 2-' 386 crates cheese. An increase of 999 !>oxe 3 butter an<l a decrease in cheese of 124 crates on last March HOME BUTTRR AND CHEESE PRICES. Mr J. R. Scott, secretary of the SoutJi Island Dairy Asociation, has received tho following London cablegram.—" Butter: Danish. 1295; New Zealand, salted, 1225; unsalted, 1265. Market quiet, downward tendency. Cheese: White and coloured, 745. Market steady."