MARGARINE TRADE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 150, 27 June 1934, Page 4

MARGARINE TRADE.

EFFECT OF CHEAP BUTTER

The viewpoint of the English margarine trade, which has suffered owing to low prices of butter, was expressed by MrD'Arcy Cooper, chairman of directors of Unilever, Limited, at the recent annual meeting in London., Mr. Cooper quoted the following Itrole, showing consump.tion per head of butter anil margarine in pounds during the last six years: 1928, butter 16.7, margarine 13.2; 1929, 17.6, 12.9; 1930, 18.6, 11.8; 1931, 20.6, 10.3; 1932, 21.0, 0.2; 1033, 23.3, 8.4. Mr. Cooper said export bounties were paid on butter from Australia, for which the Australian consumer had to pay, an obvious case of "dumping." The result was an unduly low price for Australian butter in England, not only to the disadvantage of the margarine industry, but to the detriment of the English farmer. Margarine of the beet quality and brand was selling retail in England at 8d per lb, when New Zealand butter was selling a; 9d to lOd per lb, in the middle of May last. Lower grades of margarine were selling at down to 6d per lb.