OVER-STOCKS OF BUTTER.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLI, Issue 9430, 29 January 1921, Page 5

OVER-STOCKS OF BUTTER.

(Per Prest Association Copyright.) (Received January, 29, 1.40 p.m.) LONDON, January 28. A further stage m the decline of butter prices is anticipated after the de-control. The Food Ministry's stocks are mounting rapidly, and it is generally estimated that stocks at the end of March will total about 30,000 tons, to which must be added part of the February and all the March shipments. It appears likely that the Ministry will have to carry 40,000 tons over the summer. In the meantime the supplies greatly exceed the demand. Owing to the •almost entire cessation of buying by Germany, Scandinavia, and other European countries, practically the whole of the Danish output is available for Britain, to which.^country imports from Denmark have been quadrupled, reaching 1000 tons weekly, instead of; , 500-, tons fortnightly. »V-J. . *, ■'• (Received January 29/2.5 p.m.) ; :• LONDON,-; January ,28. ti is anticipated that Danish supplies will .be greatly increased after March,, when English and Irish makes will also be m full supply, so that the. Ministry will have little chance of reducing stocks. The decline m copra and oilseeds has caused a lowering of prices for margerine, which is now retailing at lid to 12d a pound. Many people predict that butter will retail at 2s a pound before many months, so it appears likely that New Zealand and Australian producers will be faced with a comparatively low* b^sis of^ values when next season opens.