THE OUTPUT OF PRODUCE

Taranaki Daily News, 9 June 1932, Page 9

THE OUTPUT OF PRODUCE

A REMARKABLE INCREASE: INADEQUACY OF SHIPPING. ? VIEW OF LEADING EXPORTER- ■ - According to a leading exporter, shipnin" facilities have been inadequate to meet abnormal increases in production this season and some anxiety is ieit whether the last of the current seasons produce will reach the Home inarkefe/in time to avoid overlapping with next season’s output. During the period August, IV3I, to April, 1932, shipments of butter in- , cfeased from' 72,454 tons t 0.80,498 tons. There' was a decrease in cheese shipments from 70,890 tons to .67,751 tons, the net increase in both items being ■4904 tons. From October 1, 1931,.. to May- 15, 1932, shipments of lamb increased from 6,601,340 carcases .to 7,411878, an’increase of 810,533. In the case of mutton, the increase was 895,486 carcases, from 1,704(993 to 2,660,479. Tlw estimated increase in mutton and lamb for the whole season is 1,850,000 carcases, or about 20 per cent. For the 12 months ended March 31; shipments of fruits increased from 50,306,7581b 1 to 56,184,8131 b, an advance of over 10 per cent. The increase for the current season is estimated at 30 per cent. PASTER CLEARANCE NEEDED. “These figures do not show the fijll extent of the increase, as there has not been shipping space to clear the produce as fast as it-might be desirable,” said the exporter. “There have been complaints from several parts of New Zealand of produce being held up. Freezing works have been stopped or have had to mark time, and large quantities of fruit have been held in ordinary storage awaiting the arrival of refrigerated tonnage. -The position is explained partly by the • fact that the season has been an abnormal one, not only -as regards volume, but also for the early maturity of lamb and fruit.” Some of the liners had had tht.r programmes disarranged by the lightermen’s strike in toward the end of last year, and shipping companies’ difficulties had not been improved by the great shortage of imports making the shipping business a one-vray traffic for, a large number of vessels. At the same time on a falling market prompt and regular shipment was of the very first importance to exporters. RESPONSIBILITY ON BOARDS.' The shipment of New Zealand refrigerated produce was now controlled by various produce boards and a heavy responsibility lay upon them, said the exporter. They were placed in complete authority and the shipping companies now had virtually no responsibility to the merchant,, the dairy company or the freezing company. It was to be feared . that the same weakness tended to creep into the produce move-ment-as disclosed itself in all forms of Government control. It tended to be too rigid. The boards met only at intervals and their officials had to adhere rigidly to policy. In practice it was understandable that the shipping companies'could'make the case, • good .from their own point of view with the board or vith officials of the Government where they would not be so successful with the merchant or freezing company. It was notorious that where a large company was responsible • to:a client shipper he was much more responsive to trade requirements tna.n if he was . able to work through'a public body - not concerned with the monetary side of the transaction. EFFECT ON PRICES. In most carrying trades it was customary for the regular lines to charter outside tonnage, from other sources , where -the movement of .commodities was slack in order to tide them over the peak of the season or any abnormal situation. It was said that the abnormally early season and big increase in production was not realised in time tips season and that although in January I vroduce was piling up, instead of havino- provision for increased output the tonnage available was actually- smaller than last year. In January last year,/ the shipments of mutton and lamb amounted to 1,094,000 carcases, whereas this season in spite of the great increase in production ‘ shipments totair led only 820,000. The shipments were increased in February from 1,130,000 Jto 1,349,000 and in March they fell again, rising in April. ; “Shippers who have any control of production movements are naturally critical of such erratic spacing of the shipments,” he said. “The shortage > ; ih January created a temporary advance in prices in London in March and April, only to be followed by a. decline when the very big February shipments came afloat. Further sharp fluctuations appear possible.” KAUSTRALIA A'S A RIVAL, The methods of the boards ,in announcing allotments was criticised _:by the ‘ exporter/He said ,one of the difficulties the shippers experienced was the tendency of the boards to make the position look satisfactory to shippers by bringing into the allotments for any particular month vessels which were not genuinely in a position to load during that particular period. For example, a vessel might be in the June allotment, but might not actually load anything until July and might not sail until August. This had been carried to such a point that, "a steamer which might be expected .to commence loading any time up to the last day of June in New Zealand waters would be called a June .jading steamer. The possibility of overlapping with next season. could , not .be disregarded, , said the exporter. - The..coming .season was expected- to be an early one arid Australia promised to h - e the earliest and largest expc. t season in its history, commencing next month. Competition from Australia in meat and dairy produce was increasing and the Commonwealth was destined to become a serious rival. As indicating the growth of Australia’s exports, shipments of mutton in 1930-31 aggregated 1,219)867 carcases and in 1931-32 the total ■ was 1,485,944 carcases'. . Th© lamb shipments in ,193031; totalled 2,356,382 carcases and. in the present season reached 3,410,737 carcases? :