DAIRY PRODUCTION

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 191, 11 May 1944, Page 4

DAIRY PRODUCTION

Decline Of 25 Per Cent. In Two Years

EFFECT OF RATIONING ON

EXPORTS (By Telegraph.— Press Association.) DUNEDIN. May 10.

Dairy production in the Dominion during the year ended March 31. 1944, declined by at least 164 per cent. This is disclosed in the thirty-fifth annual report of the South Islaiid Dairy Association, which also states that the grading figures show that production lias fallen by about 25 per cent, in the last two years. For the year ended March 31 last the total quantities of butter and cheese graded for export, in the Dominion were as follows: —-Creamery butter, 94,972 tons; whey butter, 2343 tons; cheese, 85,100 tons. Compared with the previous year, these figures show a decrease of 15,501 tons of butter and a decrease of 24.855 toils of cheese.

The report states that because of butter rationing in the Dominion the drop in production last year was actually more than 161 per cent. The rationing scheme instituted by the Government some months ago made available for export a substantial quantity of butter. It is reckoned that in a full vear rationing will release for export an additional quantity of at least 12,000 tons of butter. The grading figures indicate a drop in the South Island butterfat production of 13 per eent. compared with the previous year. In two years the figures show a decline in the South Island of 23 per cent.