PROSPECTS OF THE BUTTER & CHEESE INDUSTRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2895, 8 September 1909, Page 6

PROSPECTS OF THE BUTTER & CHEESE INDUSTRY.

At a meeting of the shareholders and suppliers of the Bailance Dairy Factory [Company, referring to the outlook for the - ; present' season, the Chairman said that the i merchants "were only offering lO&d to 10£ d, I except for next month (September), for which they were offering up to lid. If the directors could not get good prices they could consign to the Home market, and he believed tfiey would then be on a good wicket, because there was more cheese in the stores than most people were aware of The position was a fairly rosy one. In the circular of the New Zealand Loan -and Mercantile Agency Company the prospects of the coming season are thus re- > leered tb: — "So far as we can judge, there seems good reason to anticipate that the new season's butter and cheese will arrive to good markets, in view of the fact that there are no accumulations of old stock on this side, which the quantities arriving week by week • from the various centres are going into consumption as soon as available." • • The same circular, referring to the condition and quality of last "season's output, remarks: — In the case of New Zealand, the quality in many instances might have been better, the defect of "fisniness" being widely manifest. - A feature calling for special comment was the -excessive amount of added moisture present in most of the butter received during the season from New Zealand. ' The practice of loading butter with water cannot too strongly be deprecated, and' the adoption of o maximum limit of 12 per cent, to 13 per cent, of moisture 'both in Australia and the Dominion would, we feel assured, be in the best interests of all concerned. The dry character of Australasian butter in the past has been carticularly appreciated by the trade, and . a lowering of the standard in this direction cannot but* tend adversely to affect prices, and to some extent curtail the outlets for disposal. In cheese the quality for the most part proved to be very pleasing, until the June arrivals, of which • a large proportion came to hand heated and in a soft condition. The South Australian produce agent in I/ondon writes thus: — It is yet almost too -early to give an adequate forecast for the coming Australian season, but forseeing the proba&ilitv of early South Australian . shipments I have- been makinsr some inquiries as. .to the prospects. The present • opinion is that the' signs of -a good season will have 'the effect of keeping prices moderate. There is~nr< anticipation of a repetition of the boom.rof 13 months ago. . 'or even of' the excited and inflated idea of nnoes that prevailed at the beginning of last year's- season. ' Should Australian exports recover the position lost last season, prices will probably remain fairly steady at about present rates, at least until Christmas approaches This will allow .finest but- v ters to be sold to meet a Is retail trade throughout 'the country. ..As a "rule, when this point 13 reached, consumption is practically unliiniter 1 . and stocks are quickly exhausted. Uuder £bis state of affah'9 • prices may increase as the season advances. The speculative firms have an influence on - the market, and it is reported that they lost severely on purchases last year. There is considerable speculation as to the attitude they tvill ndoot this season It is suggested that their — purchases will be limited, and that they will be very cautious — if this is correct, it will tend fo level down prjces The British markets at die present moment are quiet, and the prices -ruling for the various supplies, together with the imports for the six months ending June 30. 1909. are as follows: — Danish and Swedish— choicest quality, 110s, Ills. Siberian — choicest quality, 98s, 100s, 102s French— choicest quality, 935, 100s, 102s. Irish- -choicest quality,- 995, 100s. 3033. Australian — choicest Victorian and" New South Wales, 100s to 102s; Brst grade Queensland, 98s to 100s; second, third grades, 94s to 98s ; New Zealand choicest quality, 104s to 106s. - — Excessive Moisture. — The extent of the loss sustained by New • Zealand owing to the* excess' of moisture in ,

Storrie's Ridgei; is the only one with patent hillside attachment and facilities for packing drills where, the land is dry.— • Nimmo and Blair.

butter during last season will never be known. That it has injured the refutation pi our butter no one but the most preoudiced will deny." The fact' that a question was asked by a member of Parliament in the Hous of Commons gave the sub§eot a most Onenviable notoriety. Mr H. C. Cameron, our prouwie commißsiener, in the columns of the Grocer, points out in reply to the criticism <fl that influential paper that the questions put by Mr Fl»nn fcad reference to analyses made in Na»v Zealand by the Government analysts of fcut'ter in which over 16 per oen*. of moisture was found. "As Mr Flynn's questions indicate that he is under the impression that butter fount' on analysis to contain" ._ this excess moisture is exported from the Dominion to this country, I trust that you will kindly permit me to explain, for the benefit of your numerous readers, the true position." Mr Cameron went on to say: — "When the 16 per cent, moisture, standard for butter was fixed by law in England, the •New Zsajand' Government, in order thatthis should be complied with by the buttermakers in the Dominion, passed an act — The New Zealand Butter Export Act— which' came into-foioe on January 1, 1908, making it illegal to export butter containing more than 16 per cent, moisture. In many newly-settled however, especially in the northern part of Auckland province, v vbsre rhe climate is warm, - small co-operativs creameries were being siected, in which it was known that the. iatest appliances fo«' controlling temperatures during butter were not * ahvay's available. The Government therefore instituted a system of careful analysis !for moisture of all butters coming into the ,• grading centres, so as to ensure the export of only butter containing the legal limit of moisture. The report of the analysis referred to by Mr Flynn includes butters from the warm districts in Auckland, hence ithe excess noted by him. The New Zealand Government, recognising the difficulties tobe contended against within newly-settled districts, does not prohibit the sale, "for local consumption, of butter with moisture Jn excess of 16 per cpnt. Consequently, butter found on analysis to exceed the limit is not debarred fiorn sale within the Dominion, altho.igh it is prohibited for export. The system of analysis introduced ■by the New Zealand Government is undertaken to ensure that the English standard ;- is complied with'fcnd is for the protection = of importers and consumers of New Zealand butter in Great Britain."