MARGARINE PROBLEM.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 1, 3 January 1927, Page 4

MARGARINE PROBLEM.

AUSTRALIAN PROPOSALS. The trade in margarine presents a problem to all countries interested in the marketing of butter. The matter has been taken up by the Australian Dairv Council, which has submitted to the Australian larift Board a request tor consideration of the imposition of an excise duty on margarine manufactured in the Commonwealth. The council points out that the chief ingredient of margarine is coconut oil. which is produced by black labour and imported in the form of copra, 011 wliich no duty is paid. ''This enables margarine to be produced and sold at a price much below the cost of production of butterfat. Though, in good value, it cannot be compared with butter, it is entering into serious and unfair competition with Australian butter." Also, large quantities of foreign cheese, the fat standard of which is below that required under the Commonwealth regulations, are (says the council) being imported into Australia. This matter, with the question of framing regulations to ensure uniform cheese standards for the Commonwealth and all States, has been referred to a committee.