8 July, 1907.] 



Dairy Produce Ex-port Trade . 



393 



Including pig and poultry products (ham and eggs come under the 

 heading of dairy produce) which for the year are valued at ^2,469,214, 

 the grand total production for the year reached ^^6, 810, 065. That thi.s 

 estimate of production is below the mark is evident. It takes about one 

 gallon of milk to make one pound of cheese and two and one-third 

 gallons for a pound of butter. The total yield of milk on this basis will 

 amount to 208,205,311 gallons whereas if the number of cows be multi- 

 plied by the average yield given for those returned for 1905, the result 

 will reach over 230,000,000 gallons. Unlike exports, it is impossible to 

 secure an absolutely correct estimate of the production, but those two 

 results are arrived at from data procured from different sources. The 

 industry next in importance to the State is grain, with production under 

 ^5,000,000, meat and wool following with less than ^^4, 000, 000 each 

 and gold slightly over ^^3, 000, 000. 



Victoria ships about half the butter exported from the Commonwealth 

 and about 25 per cent, more than New Zealand. Last year New Zealand 

 exported 8,145 tons of cheese at a value considerably in advance of that 

 ruling for butter. However, combining butter and cheese returns, Vic- 

 toria has still a good lead as the principal dairying countrv in the Southern 

 Hemisphere. 



Where the Butter is Produced. 



It is interesting to note which portion of the State is making the greatest 

 headway in dairying. The following table shows the arrivals (including 

 butter ex cream estimated at 40 per cent.) in IMelbourne by rail and 

 steamer for the last five vears : — 



Of course 1902 will be remembered as the drought year when produc- 

 tion was at a low level, although Gippsland and the Western Di.strict 

 were not affected to anything like the same extent as the North and North- 

 Eastern District. The 1906 returns show that the Western District's 

 contribution has practically doubled, the Gippsland returns have increa.sed 

 by over 50 per cent., v/hilst the North and North-East combined gained 

 three and a half times as much, leading each of the other two districts for 

 last year by 2,000 tons. 



Growth of Exports. 



The exports for 1902 to all destinations were 15,052,551 lbs. and in 

 1906 they reached 46,012,002 lbs. a three-fold gain during the five years. 

 The United Kingdom serves as the great safetv valve bv taking our sur- 

 plus shipments, some thirty-three and a half million pounds in 1906. The 

 shipments to South Africa and eastern and other ports are on a steadv 



