ESTIMATED BUTTERFAT PRODUCTION FOR 1949-50 SEASON A RECORD

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 81, Issue 5, 15 November 1950, Page 432

ESTIMATED BUTTERFAT PRODUCTION FOR 1949-50 SEASON A RECORD

'THE Extension Division of the Department of Agriculture gives the final estimate of total butterfat production for the season ended June 30, 1950, as 472,000,0001 b. at the pail. The 1949-50 figure creates a new production record, exceed-

During the spring months of the 1949-50 season conditions generally, were favourable in all districts and production was considerably in excess of the corresponding months during the previous season. However, the good start was not maintained and from January onward monthly production figures fell progressively below' those of 1948-49, due largely to a prolonged dry spell in the main butter-producing ■districts of Northland and parts of the Auckland Province. Northland failed to recover from this setback and Auckland districts recovered only partially, although in other butterproducing areas production was maintained and showed small

ing the previous highest estimated figure of 467,000,0001 b. in the 1940-41 season. The amount of butterfat received at butter and cheese factories each month during the 1949-50 season, compared with the 1948-49 figures and the average of the last 10 years, is shown below: —

increases. Consequently butter production showed an increase of only 1.7 per cent, on the previous season. Cheese production, which came mainly from districts where a steady output was maintained, showed an over-all increase of 5.9 per cent. The total butterfat handled by factories making both butter and cheese was 2.7 per cent, more than in the 1948-49 season. The following illustrates.'the contribution of the various districts to the total of butter and cheese manufactured during 1949-50. . -