PRIMARY INDUSTRIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11093, 2 June 1914, Page 6

PRIMARY INDUSTRIES.

A YEAR OF BIG GROWTH. PREMIER GIVES FIGURES. [l'kr Truss Association.] ' , DUNEDIX, June 2." In the course of his speech at the oiM?.iiing of the winter show, Mr Massey, as Minister of Agriculture. gave interesting; particulars regarding the remarkable expansion, of the dominion's primary industries for the veilr ended March 31. Tlie value of the principal products was £22,112,990. and the total increase of products and of misoellaneous exports compared with the preceding period .was almost £1:500.000.

Mr Massov showed the proportion-.of agricultural 'export* to the total exports to be. remarkably high, increasing from 26 per cent in 1868 to 76 per cent in .1893, and from 77 per cent in 1908 to 85 percent for last year. The export of wool for the venr ended March 31 was valued at £7,500,000—an increase, compared with the export ten years'ago. of 17} per'cent with respect to quantity and 674 per cent in value. The increase in the exports of frozen meat, for 1013-14 was £301,252. the highest increase experienced for ten years. Regarding lamb, there-was ait increase of value, compared with ton years ago. of 180. per cent, while the value of bee/ ' exported had'increased during the same period by 109 per cent. New records had been established through the butrer and cheese export value increasing by over 50 per cent in ten years. As regards chnose, compared with ten years ago the dominion was now exporting more than eight and a half times the quantity and more than ten and a half times the value. Mr M'assey believed that before long the export of cheese would roach the enormous total of-50,000 tons annually. Fruit acreage under cultivation had increased from 30.907 acres in 1912 to i.hb'46 acres for this year. Tn 1912 14,809 cases were exported, while the quantity for this year was 85,000 cases. For the twelve .months ended Majch 31, 25,000 eases of apples were exported to Monte Video, aiid considerable quantities also to Rio de Janeiro, Vancouver and San Francisco.