DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3853, 17 January 1928, Page 20

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

BUTTER AND CHEESE. •WELLINGTON, January 12. The figures of the dairy division of the Department of Agriculture show that the salted butter graded for- December, 1927 totalled 11,997 tons, and the unsalted 618 tons, a total of 12,615 tons, compared with 11,012 tons salted and 617 tons urisalted a total of 11,629 tj>jis. for December of 1926—an increase of 8.4 per cent. For the five months ended December, 1927, the respective quantities were 39,230 tons and 2258 tons, a total of 41,488 tons compared with 34.557 tons and 1058 tons, or a total of 35,615 tons for the corresponding period of the preceding season—an increase of 16.4 per cent. The cheese graded for December, 1927 comprised:—White, 8261 tons; coloured, 4271 tons; a total of 12,532 tons, compared with 85’1 tons of white and 4324

tons of coloured, a total of 12,875 tons, for December, 1926 —a decrease of 2.6 per cent.

The quantities for the five months ended December, 1927, were:—White, 22,888 tons; coloured, 12,221 tons, a total of 35,109 tons, compared with 22,616 tons ■white and 11,223 tons coloured, or a total or 33,839 tons for the corresponding period of the preceding season—an increase of 3.7 per cent. Converting these figures into butterfat equivalent, there is an increase of 12.60 per cent, in butter-fat production for the five months, as compared with the corresponding period of the 1926-27 season. Stocks held in the various grading ports at December 31, 1927, were:—Butter, 7255 tons; cheese, 9058 tons, as compared with 10,747 tons butter and 10,045 tons cheese held on December 31, 1926.