‘Too little N.Z. milk for bigger exports’

Press, 4 July 1978, Page 7

‘Too little N.Z. milk for bigger exports’

Auckland New Zealand farmers do not produce enough milk to let the Dairy Board increase exports, says the board’s information officer (Mr J. Goldfinch). He was replying to crittcism from a number of New Zealand and overseas companies which had alleged that the board shows no interest in their export proposals, and treats them in a cavalier fashion. The companies say the board fobs them with inadequate excuses, and appears not to be interested in exporting more dairy products. But Mr Goldfinch says this is untrue. “We are very, very

short of milk, which means a great shortage of all products — particularly cheese,” he said. The board could not satisfy everyone, and was seeking a maximum return by ensuring that milk was made into products with the greatest income yield. In January, a Dutch merchant, Mr A. D. Rikkers, wrote to his New Zealand agent, Mr J. J. Mulder, of Swanson, trying to fill an order for 100.000 cartons of unsweetened condensed milk for West Africa. Mr Mulder got in touch with the board with details of the offer on January 30. He sent sim» ilar details to the Secretary of Trade and Industry.

He wrote to the New Zealand Co-operation Dairy Company with details of the order. The company replied on April 4, that it manufactured only a 400-gram can — the Dutch order called for a 170-gram can —and that “the volume of business that is required by the German (sic) firm that you are in contact with is quite beyond our plant’s capacity bearing in mind our existing business.” The company told Mr Mulder that it was looking f-r long-term contracts, and reminded him that the Dairy Board had sole export rights. On April 11. the Dairy Board’s marketing officer (Mr G. W. Simms), who is not with the board now, advised Mr Mulder and his Dutch principal that the product he sought "is

not available for export.” In reply, Mr Goldfinch said the board had a major interest in the condensed milk trade through sales of milkfat and milk powders to condensed milk manufacturers throughout the world. He said the returns were greater than they would be from fully manufactured condensed milk.

Another exporter, Mr Murdoch, of Auckland, secured a SI7M dairy products export package for Belgium, Nigeria, Malta and Egypt last February. He said that he had no luck with the board in this matter, and been told that the summer drought had cut supplies. Mr Murdoch said the board did not appear to be interested in his proposals. The board replied that it did not make sense for a trader Outside the industry, who had bothered to find out how it worked, to demand that it make a certain product available to him to sell where he liked and at what price he liked. “Many of Mr Murdoch’s inquiries clearly stem from invitations from speculators around the world to make products available on their terms,” the board said. Another Auckland exporter, who did not want to be named because he felt that any future dealings with the Dairy Board would be jeopards ised. said he had been “undermined” by the board in dealings he had in the Pacific.