DAIRY EXPORTS FALL

Southland Times, Issue 23652, 29 October 1938, Page 19

DAIRY EXPORTS FALL

POOR OPENING OF SEASON UNFAVOURABLE SPRING IN NORTH A sharp fall in exports of butter and cheese during the opening months of the new season reflect the serious decline in dairy production which has occurred throughout the Dominion. Shipments of butter for August and September are 3305 tons lower at 19,398 tons in comparison with the opening months of last season, while the export of cheese in the same period has declined by 399 tons to 12,142 tons. Exports of butter and cheese in the opening months of the past three seasons compare as follows. BUTTER

Compared with the 1937-38 season September shipments of butter are down by 2656 tons, or 22’ per cent., while those for the two months have fallen by 14.5 per cent The reduction in cheese is less marked, .Septetmber shipments being 611 tons lower, or approximately 9 per cent., and for the two months there is a decrease of just over 3 uer cent Oon a butterfat basis grading figures for August revealed a decrease of 6.5 per cent in production, while for the two months the decrease rose to 15 .per cent in comparison with the preceding season. As the Southland season opens later than in the North Island it is not responsible for the reduced output. The main reason for the decline has been the late spring and retarded pasture growth in the north, while in the Waikato there has been the additional factor of the after-effects of facial eczema. Recent rains have already stimulated pastures, and, providing cold drying winds do not again intervene production should improve. In any case, however, the season is likely to reach a later flush.

Although a poor beginning has been made the position is not irretrievable. This is indicated in the fact that although the 1936-37 season made a less favourable start than either the current or the past season, butter shipments in 1936-37 reached the record total of 149,003 tons. This result was brought about by a highly productive summer and autumn following a poor spring.

August September 1938-39 Tons 10,089 9,30? 1937-38 Tons 10,738 11,965 1936-37 Tons 9.987 8,686 .Total 19,398 22,703 18.673 CHEESE August September 1938-39 Tons 6,141 6,001 1937-38 Tons 5,829 6,712 1936-37 Tons 5,302 4,281 Total 12,142 12,541 9,583