U.K. Butter Price Board May Seek Rise

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31161, 10 September 1966, Page 1

U.K. Butter Price Board May Seek Rise

(New Zealand Press Association*

AUCKLAND, September 9.

The Dairy Board may ask the British Government to consider an increase in the price of butter on the British market within the next few weeks.

The board’s deputy-chairman (Mr F. L. Onion) made this forecast during an address to the annual conference of the Auckland branch of the DairyFactory Managers’ Association.

He said consumption of butter in Britain had recently increased and “there could well be room for an improvement in the price of our butter.”

Mr Onion said New Zealand has lately been selling 3650 tons of butter a week in Britain. “We usually consider it satisfactory if we can sell 3500 tons a week.” New Zealand butter has been selling at 300 s a cwt on the British market for more than five months. According to the general manager of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company (Mr A. H. Woolven) a possible approach to the British Government seeking higher butter prices need not necessarily conflict with the current British price-freeze. “The British Government initiated a ‘stay-put’ on prices, but it indicated that under certain circumstances it might be necessary to increase the price of certain commodities,” said Mr Woolven.

“Any possible increase in price will, of course, mean consultations with the British Government.” Mr Woolven said the British Government realised it might not get sufficient of certain commodities unless price increases were made. “The present situation, in which New Zealand butter is

Mr Woolven said increases in the price of butter are invariably about 15 to 20s a cwt.

selling so well, may well be the circumstance which the British Government will take into consideration.” he said. “No decision has yet been made by the Dairy Board to approach the British Government.”