THE PRICE OF BUTTER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8046, 8 February 1906, Page 3

THE PRICE OF BUTTER.

TJ! 1C SLUM I' ON THE HOM1; MAIiKW.

TllE AMOUNT ON THIC SEA. The prices ruling during the present season have been phcnomiually hiuh for a variety of reasons, one of which is the disorganisation of the Siberian and Russian supply consequent upon the late war, and the present civil struggle winch has disturbed the whole agricultural area of Ifussiu. The reason, too, given the " collapse" is that

" American renovated and mixtures is in strong supply" ; but, viewing these as importations from the United Sli.te« (not Canada), a local authority states that importations from that source are rare, mid only occut at rare intervals, when there is a surplus— not a usual happening in ihc Stales. Everyone interested in the trade, and particularly the pr "lucer, is aware that the prices jrnlujf throughout the present season have been phenomenal, and the fact was freely canvassed when a few months ago the country was invaded by buyers, who offered top prices for the output of factories, while the record of cabled reports from the High Commissioner show how wonderfully top prices have ibeen maintained. Going back over these cables, it lias been found that the prices have been as follows for this season's shipments :

Pel' I'Wt. November 27th ... 11 Us December otli ... Ills December lHlli ... litis January lllli ... ... llSs January lllth 117s January 21th Ills January 2!Hh 112s February sth l<M>s 2»o great alarm should be lulii'ii at lite midden drop in tin' February price, as it is above the average price obtained for lmlter from this colony, averaging tlie last leu years. Many buyers from I'jJigli-ittl paid as high as lOd to the factories; indeed, one factory is said to have got as high as lOjd pur lb for its output, lmt even buying at that phenomenal prire no less would be shown at the price* now ruling in London, and others thai paid less would be showing a payable prolit still, in addition lo the big margin of prolit that must have resulted by the season's operations up till the end of January.

Slightly under one half uf the factories in tin' colonies sold their season's output outright to buyers, ami if the market drops still lower, and llierc is a loss somewhere, it will not be those fortunate people. Some again sold half their ,outputs, and reserved hall (o gamble with, or, in other words, to semi Home on consignment, so thai with the prices lliey sold at in the colonv and tin* prices that have been ruling in Loudon, they must stand on •' velvet." Still another section reserved the whole of their produce for consignment purposes, with the result fhat their produce has realised wonderfully good prices lip till the present, which must to a great c\tciil nullify a reasonable falling-oIT at a season when a drop was to be c.vpccliAl A local firm was informed ten weeks ago that a drop must conic: but though it did not happen as soon as was expected, il is plain lliat (hose "in tile know " could gauge the market pretty accurately.

New Zealand lias a great i|iiautity of. butler "on the sea" at present, and il j will be interesting to notice the lluctuii. I tions of llie butter market during the next two or lliree weeks. The last shipment to reach London \\as that sent by the Riniutaka, which arrived in London last Wednesday. She had U1,051 eases and JSH kegs of butter. That at present en route to the I metropolis is as follows: lonic (sailed January tith). 1 cases and 175 kegs lmtlcr; Tongariro (sailed .lanuary ISth). o'l.l'll cases and :|2l kegs (record for the season); Malatua (sailed February 3rd), 55,OUti eases and 32). ]{(."* 'JVt.',i ipiautitV .1 sea -159,142 and Hit) kegs. Wellington " Times."