BRITISH PRODUCE MARKET

Taranaki Daily News, 27 April 1934, Page 9

BRITISH PRODUCE MARKET

SHIPMENTS OF BUTTER WELL UP. CHEESE POSITION FAIRLY SOUND. Cabled advice received at Stratford yesterday by Mr. N. L. Douglas from Weddel and Co. gave the following quotations: Danish 80s, Australian 68s to 70s, New Zealand 69s to 70s; New Zealand white cheese 42s to 42s 6d, coloured 41s 6d. to 425. The Melbourne office of the company, it was stated, advised that the Australian gradings were beginning to fall off, the gradings being: March 10, 2748; March 17, 2719; March 24, 2104; March 31, 1360. The stock position in London showed that there were 4000 tons more New Zealand butter in store on April 14 than on the corresponding date in 1933. The estimate of all stocks on April 6 showed an increase of only 3000 tons, so that although Australian and New Zealand stocks were beginning to increase a little, stocks all round were not exceptional. The shipments of butter from New Zealand and Australia from August 1 to March 31 were:— 1932 1933 1934 New Zealand . 70,396 86,634 100,813 Australia 64,099 81,196 78;518 Totals .... 134,495 167,830 179,331 That meant that for 1933-34 the two countries shipped 45,000 tons more than in 1932-33, an increase of nearly 33 per cent. It had to be considered satisfactory, therefore, that the immense increase could have been distributed and consumed. Prices had suffered, but with the lack of purchasing power in Britain it would have been impossible to have kept stocks moving at prices satisfactory to the New Zealand producer. The total arrivals of butter in the United Kingdom during January, February and March were: Australia and New Zealand, 1932, 65,754; 1933, 68,944; 1934, 85,932; total from all sources, 104,752, 110,011, 131,485. The total imports into Britain for the three months, 1934, increased by 27,000 tons, of which 20,000 tons went from New Zealand and Australia. The figures giving the total stocks of butter in the United States on January 1, 1934, showed that there were 49,647 tons in store, an increase of 40,000 tons on January 1, 1933. It was not expected that any would be exported to Britain, and the stocks had since diminished to 33,951, which was 27,000 tons more than at January 1, 1934. Cheese stocks did not show much difference all round as compared with last season, and New Zealand cheese in store on April 14 was only 7000 crates more than at the same time last year. Generally,, the stock position of cheese looked fairly sound, though imports in the United Kingdom for the three months showed a slight increase.