EXPORT OF CHEESE.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 February 1921, Page 4

EXPORT OF CHEESE.

NOT SUFFICIENT SPACE. —y PRODUCTION TO BE REDUCED. 1 k By Telegraph.—Press Association. Hamilton, Last Night. From Friday all factories of the New Zealand Co-op. Dairy Co. making cheese will convert their milk into butter. Discussing the situation, Mr. W. Goodfellow, managing director, said the present prices for cheese were very satisfactory, and would doubtless remain so for several months until the new season British and Canadian makes were available. The shipping position, however, was causing producers considerable anxiety, and, if delayed, New Zealand cheese would miss the present market, and reach England at a time when it would enter into competition with the British summer make.

The total estimated quantity of cheese available for export for the whole of New Zealand this season was 700,000 crates, of which already 300,000 had been shipped in the Auckland province alone. A total of 66,000 crates were in store awaiting shipment. Already 43,000 crates have been exported, and it is estimated that a further 70,000 crates will be delivered into the cool stores before the end of the season. Further shipping space had been allotted cheess to the end of February for 45,000 crates, and it was obvious, therefore, that unless an improvement took place in the shipping position between now and ths end of March a substantial portion would not get away promptly, and might in consequence be sold at prices considerably lower than would otherwise be obtained. The company, therefore, advised cheese factories to switch over to butter, for which there is an assured market till March 31 at 2s 6d. After March the bulk of the butter manufactured would be required for local coni sumption.