FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 September 1915, Page 2

FARM AND DAIRY.

DAIRY PRODUCE. A PVIEW OF THE YEAR. The New Zealand Loan and Merchan tile Agency Company, Ltd., in their review of the dairy produce season 191415, oiler the following remarks:— Butter.—lt is hardly surprising that factories were perplexed last autumn as to what policy to pursue in the disposal of their produce. Many sold their first few months' output at moderate prices, the immediate future both as regards finance and market prospects abroad being flbscure and full of awkward possibilities. Those who consigned as much as possible of their produce have to be congratulated upon the wisdom of their deeisioni The average prices on the London market, taking the top official quotations for choicest quality over the year from July 1, 1914, to June 30, 1915, were approximately 132s fld for Australian and 138 a. for New Zealand. These high prices, as in the ease of those for all other descriptions of butter, were in the main warranted by the decreased total supplies marketed, the quantity imported from all Bources being 10.4 per cent, less than .in the previous year, and the smallest for the last ten years, but at various times inflations of price occurred owing to artificial shortages of supplies caused by the difficulty in getting delivery, a sreat dearth of labour, craft, and other facilities having more or less throughout the season caused serious congestion at the wharves and docks. As regards Australian butter, the quality, generally speaking, was not satisfactory, the principal defects being due to excessive heat. As, however, the difficulties of transport at all stages were doubtless chiefly responsible, it is not necessary to make further comment upon this point, especially as butter, being so dear and often scarce, buyers wore seldom critical as regards quality. New Zealand butter was a much more uniform article, and proved generally satisfactory in quality. Cheese.—The two most noteworthy features of the season were the exceptional demand for this article for Government contracts, which had the effect of raising values of all descriptions to an unprecedentedly high level, and the great increase in the imports of cheese from the United States—3o2,l2l cwt.. as against 23,395cwt. for 1913-1914 —attracted by the remunerative prices ruling. The total imports of cheese into the United Kingdom from all sources showed an expansion of 10.4 per cent., as compared with the previous season. Forward sales of New Zealand outputs last autumn were very extensively made at figures which commenced at about 58s. and rose to about 645. f.0.b., prices which throw into relief the gratifying results which have accrued to those fac- • tories who consigned. The average price ' for New Zealand cheese, taking the top ! official quotations for choicest quality over the year from July 1, 1914, to June 30, 1915, was approximately 85s. per cwt. About the same quantity of Australian cheese as in the previous season was received, and participated in the very remunerative markets experienced. New Zealand cheese was about up to the standard of the previous season, and some attention to the flavour and pressing is still called for. The quality on arrival was noti always in accord with the Dominion grading, and we suggest that this is because much of the cheese ' was shipped in too new a condition. 1 The cheese imported from Australia was ; again of very varying size and quality, 1 but a great improvement in flavour and texture was apparent in the case of • many parcels of first grade. Prospects for next season.—The war makes any confident anticipations of the course of markets for butter and cheese during the coming season out of the question, but the immediate prospect is that the market for butter will continue firm at the present high level, the demand being satisfactory and supplies about sufficient for requirements. As regards cheese, the position is at present weak, and the prospects arc, in view of the large quantities being shipped by America and Canada, that prices will gradually decline for some little time. There has been a cessation of Government purchases of cheese for the . past few weeks, WOOL SALES. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., have received the following cablegram from the'ir London house under date 3rd inst.:—Wool sales —Anticipate good market; higher prices c-rossbreds if modification embargo under consideration assented to.