BUTTER EXPORTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 123, 26 May 1937, Page 8

BUTTER EXPORTS

: , ;i ,:,,, ; SHIPPING.PLAN. /,/ REPLY TO CRITICISM ONLY SLIGHT DELAY The statement made by Mr. E. S. Tremaine, chairman of the Whangarei Cooperative Dairy Company, that none of . the. company's butter had been shipped since February 24 last was the subject: of comment by the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon.- W. Lee Martin) yesterday. . •.'.-' "I think the chairman of. the company must have been ' misreported when he is made to say that no produce . had' been shipped . since February," said Mr. Martin. "I believe that the dates mentioned'are; not the dates of shipment, but, are for the grading,of butter. ..'. ;; '■■■'. .'■■.'.' "I have ascertained that the positioa regarding this company .and all other North Auckland and Waikatb1 concerns is that on May 22',;"the,date of. the Press interview with Mr. Tremaine, all produce in store up to March 3 had been shipped and" paid for. Last year they had. an additional 2000 boxes^shipped on the same date and by the end of May they had shipped 3421 boxes. This year, after the Cumberland loading, they will have shipped by the end of May a' further 4509 boxes. Thus it will be seen' that there will be very little difference in the quantity forwarded to May 31 as cphipared with the same date last year." '. Speaking generally on the question of the shipment of butter and cheese,' the Minister said one of the advantages of the; present marketing . plan was that .niore regular arrivals of butter and chefese could be secured than was possible , in,v,the past, and a / better. spread of: the season's output could be>made over the whole year/ In addition, with; the .'elimination :of the disturbing factor of outright f.o.b. sales, ,a;;rhuch, .more satisfactory',and {delivery had been made tball outp'brts .'iri: i'the United /Kingdom;;'; the'-iquantity-. shipped to "these ports,' being iii accord with local market requirements. :.,; ;v ;' : .^spUNDJOticr/1 '■-■■■' ,>'. ' ...Mr.; -Martin psaid •'it•■'•■ ■■■.'was :that, the .Inauguration i:o£ 'this,.;, more satisfactory shipping, programme caused some slight delay in shipments fronv 'New Zealand compared, with the position, last season,; but having /regard to the fact that this season 'had been made for the additional export of quantities of butter and cheese amounting to date t6 11,000 tons, and. that definite marketing advantages accrued,1 he thought the policy followed had been a sound one.' / Furthermore, by the'end of May, the shipping position would be much the same as last year. - - "When the finance arrangements in connection with the guaranteed price plan were being completed, provision was made for dairy ■ companies to obtain from their banks at the best ruling interest rates advances on their produce .awaiting shipment, to the extent' of'9s;J'per ceht.of its total, value," the Minister : He'Avas. sure, he added^ jthat ■_ the •attitude,;, of. the great. majority'of dairy, company./' directors would- be that, notwithstanding1 that the. Government was purchasing their produce, they approved otthe methods of; shipment,:, which were' designed to ensure more regular, arrivals of butter and■'.::cheese./, at the main distributing po^;^otAi^*,|Unit.edi;Singdonii in quantitijes ytd^m.eet»•'"market, % requirements. Any ex.tr^cbst'for /storage and interest wduld»Beiwry small fin'deid/and would be: cbyear^JSjn the fixation.,^-guaranteed; pricesv^^^^,/K'>'^'''^:^i^H^'^v4^ ::^':^'',"^^^^ / ■?It'-:is/gehMaUy,.reco^usgd," the Minister\a;dded,Vthat:there .'are difficulties iii.ahy^^ coriterhplatiort;:oi Ijie' purchase of ;ahd cheese either.; in the factory or grading store arid that the most suitable point of purchase' is at f.o.b: ocean steamer." • '