DECREASE IN BUTTER.

Shannon News, 19 February 1924, Page 3

DECREASE IN BUTTER.

CHEESE FIGURES INCREASE.

Butter and' cheese production is proceeding satisfactorily in the Auckland Province. Though th ® output this season shows compared with last season s record figures, cheese production has substantially increased and the total but ter-fat output of the district is giea er than that of last season. During November the quantity of butter received for, grading at the Auckland Farmers’ Freezing Company s store totalled 203,636 boxes, compared with 206 594 received during November, 1922, a decrease of 2958 boxes. The total quantity received for the season to November 30, a period of five months, was 519,569 boxes, compared with 542,190 for the corresponding period of last season, a decrease of 22,621.

The weekly volume of butter production is now rapidly increasing and the returns indicate that the heaviest production for one week during last season may be exceeded by the peak week of this season. For the week ended November 28, 50,276 boxes were received, against 50,327 for the Corresponding week of November, 1922, a decrease for. this year of only 51 boxes. For the previous week the difference in favour of 1922 was 390 boxes, and for the week ended November 14, there were 2045 boxes more received in 1922 than in 1923. Thus the ratio of increase last month was greater than that of the corresponding period of 1922. The largest quantity received for one week last season was 53,295 boxes during the week ended January 10, 1923.

Price for both . butter and cheese at present, shows an improvement compared with last season and the prospects of the farmers receiving substantially increased returns are considered by experts to be excellent. The latest London quotation for blitter was 212 s to 214 s per cwt. which is equal to rather more than Is 85d per lb. The average price paid to suppliers last season was about Is 6d per lb'. ft

Cheese received during November totalled 22,454 crates, compared with 14,172 in November, 1922, an increase of 8282, The quantity received for the season to the end of November totalled 17,311 crates, against 30,240 for November, 1922, an increase of 16,971 crates.

The deliveries for November from the stores, the bulk of which were for export, totalled 187,518 boxes of butter and 17,008 crates of cheese, againd; 261,974 boxes and 16,605 crates in November, 1922. There are now held in store 96,446 boxes of butter and 19,464 crates of cheese, compared with 127,943 boxes and 3682 crates at the corresponding period of 'last sfeason.