THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8091, 23 April 1906, Page 3

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

TAUANAKI OUTPUT 1905-8. VALUE THREE QUARTERS MILLION STERLING. Whilst the amount of dairy produce exported from the port of New Plymouth during the year ended March Jjlst last showed an increase over that shipped from the breakwater in the previous I voire months, there was a slight decrease in the quantity of creamery butter exported, in the year 1904-5, the graders at Moturoa Freezing Works handled a little over 165,090 boxes of butter,'of which there were shipped to the United Kingdom 151,027 boxes of creamery, 8745 bnxos of dairy and 410 milled butter, 01..; reamery butter 148,060 boxes, or 9S'o4p,.v were first grade, 85.55 per cent, of Uw dairy, and 69'02 per cent, of the milled butter. This year 171,566 boxes were graded, of which 56'18 per cent, was first grade. Creamery butter exported to the' United Kingdom-totalled 150,815 boxes, dairy butter 9031 boxes, and milled 388. A little over one per cent, of creamery was seoond grade, about 12 per cent of dairy, and 27 pel- - of milled, also failing to secure first grade. One and a half per cent, of milled, and a small fraction of dairy, registered third grade. Australia and Suya took 1119 boxes, of which 1078 were first grade, " dairy " accounted for 126 boxes boxes branded as second. South African steamers conveyed to the markets there 2369 boxes of first grade creamery butter, the total shipment. A feature in the graders' figures this year is a special column set r.part for registering the amcunt of saltless butter shipped to the United Kingdom. Factory butter in this state was sent amounting to 22,180 boxes, and 547 boxes were exported by private concerns. The graders state that the demand for this class of produce is increasing, principally, it is thought, for the benefit of the " faking" establishments at Home, who deal in the very choicest brands. The amount of unsalted butter largely predominates now, the factories' contracts having been completed, in most cases, on March 31st.

The cheese exported from the port for the year was 9212 cases, nearly all of it grading first. Of this, 9172 cases were seut to tho United Kingdom, whilst South Africa took ten and Australia thirty cases. In 1904-5 the cheese exports totalled only 5701 cases, or 3631 boxes less than during the season just closed. The- very large increase in cheese manufacture has, of course, affected the quantity of creamery butter available, several concerns having made cheese instead of butter, as formerly. The season throughout has been very favourable, and good prices have ruled. Shipments have greatly decreased lately, the Corinna's last cargo from New Plymouth having totalled only 5890 boxes of butter, of, which 1025 arc to .go by the Essex to tho West of England trade, and the remainder by the Gothic for the London markets. Tho value of the butter graded, reckoned at an average of lOfcd, i very safe figure and one well within the mark, is £4,05,320 ; and the cheese, reckoned at an average of 5.J per lb, was worth "roughly £30,000, or a total increase in value of £40,000 over the preceding year, Should the same ratio of increase be shown in (lie Patea returns, it will bring the total value of dairy produce exports from Taranaki, for the year ending 31st March last, to about £750,000.

As the prices'on which our calculations have been based are, if anything, under-estimated, it is clearly demon, strated that the present buoyant condition of the Province is founded on no mythical prosperity.