DAIRY PRODUCE

Hokitika Guardian, 12 January 1921, Page 2

DAIRY PRODUCE

THE DOMINION’S OUTLOOK

[BY TELEGRAPH—PER I’HESS ASSOCIATION]

WELLINGTON, Jan 10.

Inquiries made into the progress of the daily produce industry go to show that the export season is now in full running order. There will be a falling off in the production of cheese on the estimates made before the season opened. This is due to the changing over of a, number of important companies from the manufacture of cheese to the manufacture of butter. The fascination of producing with no limit as to quantity exported at 2s 6d per pound f.o.b. for the British Government, and payment for the same, cash down, is proving irresistible to the bulk of the concerns who can turn milk into butter or cheese at will, having machinery facilities for making either. The choose market at the opening of . the season looked exceeding bright. Sales were made of the whole outputs at 14d to 14Id and even up to 14-jd and 14 »d per lb. Then it went back, but it is to-day better than lOid f.ob. the price at which the Imperial Government bought the exportable surplus of last season. But even at the equivalent of 13d to 14d per lb, it does not command itself, as so favourable a proposition to the makers as butter, and where they can do so they are profiting by the Imperial Government's offer to take all butter to be exported at 2s 6d per lb. The-twenty-five companies that have gone wholly or in part tb butter in pieference to cheese, include the Kaupokonui, . Hawera, Eltham, Kaponga, Mangatoki, Awatuna, Kakaramea, Whenukura, Bunnythorpe, Riverbank, Tanaki Patun, Ohanui and llangatiki. So far as can be ascertined the quality of both butter and cheese is well up to the high standard upon which the reputation of both have attained on the London market. The benefits from the co-operation of dairy companies and the instructors of the Dairying Division in securing a satisfactory condition of milking machines are to be seen in the improved quality of the product and its greater monetary value to the producer.

j The following are particulars of daily ■ produce graded for export during the j past twelve months compared with 1919: ; 1920 1919 j cwt. cwt. j Blitter 25,578 70,431 | Cheese 214,757 200.088 HIGH COMMISSIONER’S REPORT. j WELLINGTON, Jan. 10. The High Commissioner’s cable message, dated London, January 8, is as follows: — MEAT. Home-killed supplies are small, with '-higher prices, owing to the closing of I several markets on account of foot and mouth disease. Closing prices are: Beef Is 5Jd, mutton Is 9’d, lamb 2s per lb, but higher prices rules early in the week. New Zealand mutton and lamb are in active demand at full prices. Retail prices are:—New Zealand beef, ox hinds IOJd, fores 7Jd per lb; cow totals 9d, fores per lb. Frozen pork is selling at Is 2d to Is 6d per lb. BUTTER. For English the average price is £24 os per cwt. Irish is very slow of sale at a declining price. Salted is quoted at i £l6 16s per cwt, and unsalted is held I for £22 per cwt, nominal, with no demand. x CHEESE. There is a restricted demand for English cheese, and quotations are barely maintained. Finest farmers’ is quoted at £7 5s to £9 per cwt. For Canadian the demand has improved, and prices are firmer. Quotations are:—White £7 to £7 14s per cwt, coloured £7 16s to £8 per cwt. HEMP.

Manila hemp' is in active demand at an advanced price. “J” grade October- December shipment sold up to £6O per ton, and Jamiary-March shipment up to £6O 10s per ton. The New Zealand market is quiet and steady. Nominal quotations are:—High points, spot, £54 per ton ; January-March shipment, £52 per ton; fair spot, £52 per ton; Jayuarv-March, £SO per ton. HONEY. The market is dull, and very-little is doing. New Zealand first grade is nominally 85s per cwt. Lower grades are down to 55s per cwt.