REVIEW OF DAIRY SEASON

Taranaki Daily News, 13 February 1931, Page 9

REVIEW OF DAIRY SEASON

COSTS OF PRODUCTION.

SUPPLIERS PAID £19,523,344.

Luring the season 1929-30 butter-fat aggregating 288,462,6501 b was sent to the dairy factories of the Dominion and the total value of the product was £24,093,981, of which £19,523,344 went to the suppliers in the form of payout.

These figures are given in the Abstract of Statistics compiled by the Government Statistician and cover the period of the ordinary financial year of the dairy companies which mostly ends in July. It is shown that the amount of but-ter-fat. received, was .12 per cent, above that for (the previous year,. ’ Of this aiiiount of butter-fat, 72 per cent was utilised for butter-making,' 26 per cent, was contained in milk used for the making of ch?es<e, and: the remaining 2 per cent, wds used for .condensed..,and dried milk, etc. Butter-fat used for butter.making and cheese-making in 1929-30 ivas 15 per cent, and 2 per. cent, respectively above the figures recorded for 4928-29. Butter-fat used Tor condensed 'Arid dried milk-making increased 21 per cent.

In comparing the statistics of the dairying industry for 1920-30 with those for 1028-29 it is found that there were 491 factories in operation, or one more than in the previous season. The number of persons who found, employment in the industry was 4228,. which was slightly Smaller than in the previous year. Salaries and wages absorbed . £957,438, which was 1 per cent, greater than in the previous year. The amount of money disbursed in the form of payout showed.; a decline of 2 per cent, on the previous season. One interesting table provided by the Government Statistician shows the averJage distribution of every £lOO received -by dairy factories on account of their products in 'th.e season 10’29-30.. The 'figures given.' are:—Salaries and wages, 0.98; milk and cream cartage, 1.33; payout, 81.22; materials, 2.72; other operating expenses, 4.26; marketing expenses, 4.82; undistributed surplus, 1.67. Marketing expenses, which appear to ba relatively high, cover the following: . Transport from factory to rail, from rail to ship, and general f.o.b. charges; shipwharf dyes, cool-storage charges, and marine ;freight and insurance; Dairy Produce Control Board levy; other marketing costs, including landing charges, commission arid exchange.