GISBORNE DAIRY EXPORTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18180, 30 August 1933, Page 8

GISBORNE DAIRY EXPORTS

DOUBLED IN FOUR YEARS 100,000 BONES OF BUTTER RECENT GREAT ADVANCE Gisborne’s butter exports for the season ended July 31 exceeded 100,000 boxes. All previous records were, easily smashed, and the figure of four years ago nearly doubled. Mention was made at the Okitu Cooperative Company’s annual meeting yesterday by the dairy produce grader, Mr. G. Purvis, that the. Gisborne Hairy produce gradings for the 12 months referred to wore 36 per cent, greater than for the preceding 12 months. The 1931-32 figures showed a total of 74.20 b boxes, winch was then a record, and a 36 per cent, increase on this figure gives a total of over 100.000 boxes. This estimate is used in the absence of official figures, which are. yet unavailable. The changeover from sheep to dairying and the practise of more intensive farming, combined with the breeding and purchase of better stock and a higher standard of farm management, have added greatly to the exports of tho port of Gisborne during the past few years. The expansion of the, industry has not been confined to the Gisborne' flats and outlying parts of the low hill country around Gisobrue. The great interest taken by members of the Maori race in the Waiapu Valley lias added greatly to the butter output from the port of Gisborne, and the, N'gatiporou factory produced over 650 tons of butter, last year, compared with only about 200 tons four or five years ago. The Tolaga Bay factory has been increasing its manufacture lately, and had another record season, while both factories in Gisborne reported substantial increases to their outputs. One of these, Kia Ora, manufactured more butter last season than the total exports from the port of Gisborne four years ago. Figures showing the rise in the dairy produce gradings at the port of Gisborne during the past six years are; as follow :

The 1932-33 figures are approximate. The 1930-31 season was the drought period and also the season of the earthquake that was the means of diverting the NHihaka cheese supplies from Napier to Gisborne. The Nuhaka cheese output this season was approximately the same as last year, and the gradings are therefore included in the above table at about the same level.

Season Gradings Butter Cheese « Boxes Crates 1927-28 48,867 . 1928-29 53,924 . 1929-30 60,755 — 1930-31 56,481 188 1931-33 74,206 1156 1932-33 100.000 1100