VALUE OF EXPORTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 121, 25 May 1938, Page 11

VALUE OF EXPORTS

RISE OF 8 PER CENT. Butter In First Place SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE With an increase in value of over £2,000,000, butter retained its place as New Zealand's most valuable export commodity during the financial year ended March 31. The aggregate return of butter shipped overseas totalled £18,026,826, the highest figure for a considerable number of years. Wool was again in second place, being valued at £16,012,253, an increase of £225,044. Eight export commodities topped the million pounds mark as in the previous year, and the only alteration was sheep-skins without wool, which exceeded the value of gold exported. Figures for Three Years The following table compares the value of the eight most valuable export comodities in the past three years ended March 31. the figures icpresenting thousands of pounds:—

The total value of exports, exclud' ing specie, was £65,007,946, an increase of £4,773,435 on the previous year. The excess of exports over imports fell sharply from £12,613,407 in 1936-37 to only £6,943,387. Merchandise exports in 1937-38 were 7.9 per cent, higher than in the previous year, butter and frozen meat accounting for the bulk of the increase. The large increase in the value of butter exports was due partly to an increase in shipments of 64,414 cwt., but the main cause was a rise in the average price on the London market. Position Regarding Wool Although a rise of £225,044 is shown in the value of wool the figures do not cover complete wool seasons. The export figures for the year ended March 31 do not reflect the marked decline in prices at the 1937-38 sales. Over 22,000 fewer bales were exported than in the previous year. With the exception of tinned meats, the value of every class of meat shipped overseas showed substantial advances. Cattle hides, sausage casings and potatoes were also worth considerably more. There were comparatively few decreases. The most striking occurred in rabbit skins, fresh apples, grass and clover seeds, gold, timber, tallow and opossum skins. The value of New Zealand’s mineral exports decreased fairly considerably, as gold, silver and coal all showed fairly substantia! falls. ~

1936 1000 1937 £000 1933 £000 Butter 13,737 15,967 18,027 Wool 10,427 16,012 Lamb 7,802 8.539 9,189 Cheese 4,312 5,254 5,615 Mutton 1,603 1,588 1,812 Pork 1,503 1.528 1,600 Sheepskins ... 970 1,297 1,521 Gold . 1,418 1,457 1,399