TARANAKI DAIRY OUTPUT

Taranaki Daily News, 14 October 1930, Page 5

TARANAKI DAIRY OUTPUT

LAST SEASON’S INCREASE OVER 36,000 TONS CHEESE MADE. TWO-FIFTHS OF DOMINION’S YIELD' Dairy production figures in Taranaki tor the past season show a steady, increase in output over. the previous year and afford evidence that the dairying industry of the province is still developing. That the limit of production has by no means been reached is the J confident belief of many authorities. From the port of New Plymouth last year the dairy exports amounted to no less than 25,565 tons, while 25,389 found outlet through Patea. This makes a total of 50,954 tons, the amount of cheese forming 41 per cent, of the cheese exports of the Dominion and. the butter 11 per cent, of the butter, exports. - An examination of factory production statistics for the 1929-30 season shows that 11,956 tons of cheese and 7652 tons of butter—a total of 19,608 tons—-were produced by the 40 companies operating in North Taranaki, while the 24 South Taranaki companies furnished 24,700 tons of cheese and 2725 tons of butter —a total of 27,425 tons of produce. The total for the province is 47,033 tons, made up of 36,656 tons of cheese and 10,377 tons of butter. The largest output was that of the Joll Company, which produced 3708 tons of cheese. Kaupokonui came second with 3331 tons of cheese. The largest increase in output over the previous year was recorded by Kaupokonui, this increase being 223 tons of cheese and 96 tons of butter. .The next biggest cheese increase is that of Cape Egmont, 121 tons. In butter Hawera shows the largest increase, 244 tons. Midhirst 226 tons, Moa 214 tons, and Mangorei 166 tons are the other most important butter increases. x The highest output of butter is . that of Midhirst, 1287 tons. This company also produced 60S tons of casein. The other chief latter producing companies are Moa 1064 tons, Hawera 739 tons, Mangorei 734 tons, Stratford 724 tons, and North Taranaki 662 tons. Owing to the difficulty of assessing unsold stocks at the close of the financial year it has not been possible to give an accurate statement of the payout made by each company, but it is expected that the final figures will average about 2d to 3d per lb. less than thr previous year, when the average price was about Is 7id for cheese.' The best figure for cheese this year was Ls Bd, obtained by Hurleyville. Several companies paid Is 7d and a considerable number Is 6d, others ranging to as low as Is 3d in the case ‘of butter factories. In test .all companies show an increase, there being only two concerns which are under a 4 test. The highest is Waitoitoi 4.60, followed by Wai-tara-Taranaki 4.56 and Tariki 4,54. Tikorangi and Midhirst 4.48, Mells and White Cliffs 4.47, North Taranaki 4.45 and Ngaere 4.44 are other high testing factories. The lowest are Kaimiro 3.72, and Makahu 3.87. Compared with last vear most companies are testing from 10 to 20/pointa higher, while one has increased by as much as 38 points. In South Taranaki the average test has increased from 4.11 to 4.25. Last vear there were two South Taranaki companies under a 4 test, whereas this vear there is none below that figure, the lowest being 4.03. The North Taranaki average test is 4.24.

LOWER COST OF OPERATIONS. One noteworthy feature of the past year’s operations is the reduction in fob. costs, these being from l-5d to Id per lb. lees than those of the previous season. ■ . . , . ,- In making a comparison in the yield of the various factories it must be remembered that all companies have not .stated their yields on the same basis. Some have calculated the yield on the net amount of butter-fat in the ‘standardised” milk, hereas others, have taken the total butter-fat received as the basis of yield. In the latter case the yield figures are a good deal lower than where the former method of calculating has been adopt' , Compared wV llast year many comoanies show an increase in yield ot from .10 to .201 b. while in one instance the yield was .321 b. greater than tljat of the previous year. This greatly increased yield under standardisation has undoubtedly given rise to the beliet that greater profits are obtained through standardising. The following is a comparative statement of tonnage, test, yield and f.o.b. costs of the 64 companies operating in the province:—