THE COLONY'S EXPORTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8082, 11 April 1906, Page 2

THE COLONY'S EXPORTS.

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

FIGURES FOE THE YEAH, FEB PEEBB ASSOCIATION. Wellinoton, April 9. A leaflet has been issued by the Department of Agriculture showing the volume of exports of the prineipal products for the year ending March 31st. These and the comparison with the previous year in eaoh case are as follows: Butter, 299,345cwt, value £1,443,153, a decrease of 43,408cwt. and £71,003 in value. Cheese, 107,5030wt, value £267,171, an increase of 25,082cwt and £76,297,> Beef, 156,602cwt, valued at £lB,866, a decrease of 3531ewt, worth £10,538. Mutton, 774,211cwt, worth £1,098,417, a deorease of 191,292cwt valued at £225,383. Lamb, 1,905,717 carcases valued at £1,151,919, an iicrease of 11,350 carcases, valued at £28,807. Wheat, 991,068 bushels, valued at £148,281, an increase of 439,269 bushels, valued at £63,346. Oats, 932,010 bushels, valued at 88,025, a decrease of 1,315,332 bushels, worth £96,928,

Potatoes, 270 tons, worth £2429, a decrease of 3343 tons and £7293 in value. Hemp, 28,544 tons, value £691,760, an increase of 335 tons, but a decrease in value of £39,043. THE POSITION REVIEWED.

CHEESE SUPPLANTING BUTTER.

Wmuxoios, April 9. Speaking of tho reduction in the value exports, Mr Ritchie, Chief Secretary to the Aitricultural Department, in referring to butter, said that the season was later than usual, and there was a quostion whether some of the shipments, which really belonged to this season, just missed tho financial I year. Still there was a considerable increase in cheese, and the value of the two combined showed an advance ol over £SOOO.

Mr Siugleton, dairy expert, said thcro was no doubt that tho increase in cheese had, to a considerable extent, been responsible for tho decrease in butter. Some factories with dual plants had made cheese this year, but last year they had principally turned out butter. New cheese factories had been started in the spring; preceding the last one, and moreover there had been considerable quantities of cheese stored prior to opening of the 1904-6 season, and had been shipped during that year-. Shipments from the Blufl showed a decided increase in cheese, due partly to the cutting up of the Edendale estate for closer settlement. A new cheese factory had boen started there, and a number of others in thi bouth had turned their attention tr cheese instead of butter. So far a* as Taranaki was concerned, tho exports from Patea would show a largt increase in choose at the expense of butter. Twa largo factories, tho Kaupokonui and Riverdale, had madt cheese this year, but last season they had turned out butter. In answer to questions, Mr Singleton said that prices had been in favour of cheese, and the balance was still swinging in favour of that article. That was the reason why factories had been devoting themselves to the production of cheese.

Tho decrease of £10538 in tho export of beef docs not call for comment, but the decline in mutton and lamb is worth explaining. Mr Ritchie says that the export of mutton has been decreasing for the last year or two, but he thought that bedrock had been reached in tho decline. Two years ago there was an abnormal export, until there was a shortage in sheep, but he considers that tho colony has i|uite got up to its number again, and exports should go on steadily. Mr Ritchie remarked that the slackening of the South African demand lias had a good deal to do with the lalling away in figures for nai-'. Australia h;i.l now ii better c'unee tli:iu New Zojlaml in exploiting thai market. There would be a very considerable shortage in grain this year, but with the stock on hand, there should be a fair quantity avail iblc for export if tlie market was favourable. There had been a largo quantity ol oats on hand at the commencement ol tho 1904-Cj season.

In hemp, the quantity oxported was | large, the year shows a slight inorease on the previous year's tally, but the value has shrunk by over £39,00'). Mr Ritchie says that the declino is due to the much larger proportion of lower jrade liomp going out. Millers have been turning out mere of " common" md "fair" grades, probably because the prices for these classes offered greater inducement than the quotations for higher grades. Blight is blamed for the decrease in potatoes.