DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17132, 20 June 1927, Page 6

DAIRYING INDUSTRY.

A RECORD SEASON. THE LATEST RETURNS. A comprehensive review of dairying activities in New Zealand is given in the thirty-third annual report of the National Dairy Association. It will be presented at the annual meeting this week. " The year's dairying production has been good," states the report in a review of the 192 G-27 season. Auckland has gone from record to record throughout the season." The increased dairy production in the Dominion during the 1926-27 season, particularly in the later months, is indicated in a tabulation of the report, setting out the quantities of butter and cheese graded in • New Zealand from August 1, 1926, to April 30, 1927. Decreases are denoted by an asterisk: —

It will he noted that butter production all through showed an increase over last year, being 26.4 per cent, in advance for April, and 12.3 per cent, better for the whole nine months. Cheese, with the exception of the make in August, September and December of 1920, showed an incerase over the previous season, and in the aggregate was 3.1 per cent, greater. The aggregate butter-fat production for the' season showed an increase of 9.1 per cent.

' A statistical summary of importations Of dairy produce into Great Britain for the past four years, each ending on December 31, reveals that New Zealand's quotas have been: —Butter, 1926, 19. S per cent.; 1925, 21£ per cent.; 1924, 20 per cent,; 1923, 22 per cent. Cheese, 1926, 49.6 per cent. 1925, 45 per cent.; 1924, 51 per cent,; .1923, 48 per cent. Britain still imports more butter from Denmark than from any other one country—l,9o6,49scwt last year. New Zealand was next with 1,153,896 cwt. Then came Australia, 752,088 cwt, and Argentina, Irish Free State, Russia, Finland, Sweden, Netherlands, Canada, France and the United States, in thayfc order. New Zealand, closely followed by Canada, sends more cheese to Great Britain than any other country.

It is notable, in reviewing the importations of the last two years into Britain, that Canada's butter quota fell from 163,135 cwt to 04,394 cwt; that of the United States from ll,9C6cwt to 4654 cwt, and Australia's from i,161,238cwt to 752,058 cwt. On the other hand, New Zealand, Denmark and most other countries increased their shipments.

NATIONAL DAIRY ASSOCIATION,

ANNUAL MEETING THIS WEEK.

Important discussions on matters affecting the dairy industry are foreshadowed in the thirty-third annual report of the National Dairy Association of New Zealand, Ltd., to be presented at the annual meeting at Rotorua this week.

Under the heading of experimental and research work, the report records with satisfaction the decision to establish an agricultural college, the creation of a department of scientific and industrial research and the continued good work of the Hawcra Laboratory. It is suggested that compulsory grading, already successfully applied to cream, might with equally good results benefit cheese manufacture through the grading of milk. Regret is expressed that the advance in herdtesting has not been maintained. Resistance to any attempts in tariff revision placing increased duty on dairy factory requirements will, says the report, be offered. The remits request the reconstitution of the Dairy Produce Board so that it shall consist Only of producers' representatives; urge the compulsory grading of milk for cheese manufacture; and emphasise the need for a more vigorous Government roading policy, especially in farm areas. A recommendation that portion of the proposed dairy school be devoted to research work is contained in a Morrinsville remit. _ Another deprecates the collection of further levies by the Dairy Produce Board and suggests that accumulated funds be distributed among dairy companies. It is questioned whether small grading stores are receiving sufficient support to warrant their maintenance, and a Pahiatua remit proposes an investigation by the Dairy Produce Board ia order to see that the stores arc not A general tax on the industry.

Month. Butter. Pctge. Cheese. Pctge. .1926. Tons. Inersc Tons. Incrse. Aug. .. 1,6 47 9.7 211 31.4* Sept, . 4,295 8.0 3.078 16.9* Oct. ,.. 7,793 9.6 7,020 3.9 Nov. .. 10,251 10.9 10,655 9.5 Dec. . . 11,629 6.1 12,875 0.8* 1927. Jan. .. 10,058 16.7 10,973 5.5 Feb. .. 8.082 10.6 9,000 8.7 March 7,500 11.3 9.253 1.4 April . 5,201 26.4 6,852 4.1 Totals 66.450 12.3 70,517 3.1