DAIRYING IN NEW ZEALAND

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 661, 23 August 1921, Page 4

DAIRYING IN NEW ZEALAND

Whilst it is not claimed that the dairy industry has saved the financial position in New Zealand, there is no gainsaying the fact that the returns from this source have gene a long; way towards maintaining stability (remarks the Pastoral Review). The sale of the late season’s output of butter to the Imperial Government at high prices not only relieved the producers from the risks of the market, but has secured a regular income to a large body of producers. A good .market was also found for cheese. The returns now show that the- combined value of butter and cheese exported was £16,033,434, and -added to this there were the export of dried milk, casein, condensed miik, sugar of milk and other milk products. The amount of butter and cheese consumed locally was worth about £4,000,000. so that New Zealand’s dairy industry has returned to suppliers during the late season over £20,000,000. The quantity of dairy produce that went into the gradingstores for export during the dairy year (August 1, 1920, to April 30, 1921) was as follows:—Butter 668,613 cvvt (last season 364,778cw5), cheese 1,059,183ewt (last year 1.135,958 cwt). It: is not anticipated that such good prices as have been realised during the late season can rule during the coining season, but cheese will probably pay better than butter to produce, and as most of the large factories have dual plants, ther is no difficulty about making that which will be most profitable. The slump in the wool and sheep markets is likely to have the effect of increasing the number of supliers to the dairy factories during the coming season, and if is already reported, thaa t good many farmers on suitable land in the North Island will replace their sheep with cows.