THE DAIRYING SEASON.

Shannon News, 22 October 1929, Page 3

THE DAIRYING SEASON.

EFFECTS OF BACKWARD SPRING.

PROSPECTS BRIGHT,

Market conditions for New Zealand produce so far as the present year has gone, have been disappointing. Throughout the first six months, the prevailing note was one of uncertainty regarding values and business generally" was transacted on hand-to-mouth lines'. At the present moment, markets arc declared firm at, prices whi.-.h are average and have moved only slightly.; during past weeks. J Tn an interview given on his return to New Zealand last week, Sir Harold Beauehamp stated that it was almost impossible to forecast future trend of values for the commodities in which we are so vitally interested, because so many circumstances contributed towards the demand for a particular j article; but as far as one may judge at ! the present time, the indications seemed to point to a period of moderate ; prices. 'With regard to dairy produce, | it was interesting to note that Danish butter experienced three sharp declines in price this year. The last occurred at the end of' May, when Danish was freely offered at 1565. As the difference between the f.o.b. and landed prices was approximately 5s per cwt, it would be recognised that Empire butter met with more severe competition during the three months ending June last. It was, therefore, a matter for congratulation that both Australia and New Zealand quotations during the third big decline of Danish kept steady and above the landed parity of the last-named. In several quarters, but particularly among retailers, the opinion frequently expressed that in recent times there had been a distinct deterioration in the quality of most of the cheese; that had been, and was being, exported from this Dominion, and this suggested the advisableness of the Government making searching inquiries, with a view to ascertaining the e-HUoC of this deterioration, and recommending the adoption of such measures as might be necessary to improve matters. With "prices only on an average basis, farmers generally look.to added production to keep the financial barometer from falling but while the output for the last two months has been good, there has been a slight drop on ) August and September of 1925, and in some instances, notably cheese, a small j drop in payouts. The dairying industry j throughout the country has felt the effects of a backward spring, but with I the much warmer weather that has ruled since the incoming of October the i pastures arc making satisfactory head- j way. The Levin Co-operative Dairy '■ Company, Ltd., will pay out for butter- i fat during September the price ; of Is 6d per lb., which will be in re- j spect of a somewhat smaller production , than in the corresponding period of I last year. 'The-figure of Is 6d is the | same as for the preceding month, as , well as for September, 1925. For the j four months from the commencement of the present season till the end of ; September the tonnage of butter show- ' ed a falling-off of 2.2 per cent, as compared with the same period of last year, but an analysis of the position discloses that the output has been gradually rising. For the three months ended' August 31st, there was a decrease of 2.7 per cent, and.for the j month of August of 1.7 per cent; last ■. month the decrease was 1.6 per cent. Actually the Levin factory is very favourably circumstanced, it is demonstrated by the setbacks received in districts further to the north, anging from 9 to 20 per cent, on the production figures of a year ago. The Awahiiri company will disburse I £12,000 on the 20th being payment at the rate of Is fid per lb. For September, 1928, £13,000 was paid out with 25' fewer suppliers than at the present itilmcl IThe decease in butter-fat amounts to 14,00011 s. A fall in supply averaging 15 per cent, is recorded by the Tiakitahuna, Manawatu Reliance (Rangiotu) and ; Tui (Glen Oroua) factories. Their disbursements will bei-r-Tiakitahuna Is 7+d casein, £800; Manawatu Reliance Is 6d cheese, £1300; Tui, Is 6d cheese, £I7OO.

Mangawliata Dairv Company will disburse £2OSS (Is Gd), Makowai £1193 (Is Gd) and Rangiotu £9GS (Is fid). Last September, Mangawhata paid out at the rate of Is 9d, Makowhai at Is 7d and Eangiotu at the rate of Is 7Jd their total disbursements being £3005, £1579 and £895 respectively. Kairanga Dairy Company suppliers will receive Is 6d per lb and a total of £BSOO (approx.). The output is reported down ten per cent. The New Zealand Dairy Union directors have decided on Is Gd per lb and for the month will pay out about £7OOO. Warm rains are forecasted, and, following on,the plentiful sunshine of the past week, they should bring abundance of growth" in the pastures, which began to show some improvement about three weeks ago. Given these conditions, which seem assured, cream production should exhibit a rapid rise this month, and dairy companies should havc.no difficulty in passing the record established last season.