MARKETS FOR PRODUCE

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 72, 18 December 1928, Page 12

MARKETS FOR PRODUCE

ELIMINATION OF LONDON DIRECT SHIPPING TO GLASGOW “DECENTRALISATION MUST COME’’

That New Zealand producers, by neglecting the Glasgow markets, and concentrating on London, are overlooking a source of great demand catered for by their competitors is the opinion expressed by Mr. H. M. Ford, secretary of the Clyde Navigation Trust, who has concluded a tour of New Zealand on behalf of the Glasgow City Corporation and Chamber of Commerce.

In the course of an interview, Mr Ford stated that decentralisation of New Zealand produce from London must come, if it is to be successfully marketed to full advantage.

Mr. Ford said that he had had a three months’ tour through both Islands, and in addition to meeting the Prime Minister and representatives of the late Government, he had also met representatives of various control boards and chambers of commerce, and business men and exporters, both in relation to meat, dairy produce, and fruit.

“I have seen evidence of wonderful development throughout both islands,” said Mr. Ford. “As a traveller mainly by road, one is bound to feel profoundly impressed with the manner in which the country lias been opened up. What is most striking is undoubtedly the -wonderful possibilities, largely In connection with the development of the meat, dairy produce, and fruit industries. It is mainly to those three matters that I have given attention during my tour, and I have been surprised at the intense interest shown by everybody concerned throughout the Dominion. This speaks well for the maintenance of the spirit of initiative and development among New Zealand people, for no matter where I have travelled everyone has evinced keen interest in the development of trade at Home and the opening up of new markets. “My mission has been to bring to the notice of your primary producers, control boards, and exporters, the value to them of the Glasgow markets —which, to a large extent, have beau neglected—and the serious disadvantage under which you are now attempting to build up those markets through concentrating practically the whole of your supplies on Lomlon. I have pointed out, and I think with some effect, that decentralisation from London has got to come if New Zealand products are to be successfully marketed at Home with full advantage to the New Zealand producer. Glasgow's markets, which supply all the population in .Scotland, the north of England, and north of Ireland—some six million peopleare exploited to the full by every one of your competitors, while the two countries in the world, namely New Zealand and. Australia, with whom people at Home are most anxious to deal, continue the above and wasteful method of marketing through London. This can have but one effect, which is all too apparent to-day, that the housewives in our northern markets—and I do not exclude Manchester and Liverpool—while receiving every assistance and exhortation from the Government to support your industries, are being discouraged to ask for New Zealand products, due to the fact that they can seldom rely on being supplied in the shops. This is caused entirely through irregular shipping, and relying on spasmodic supplies from London, at costs ranging from ±3 to £0 per ton. Fresh Condition Necessary. “Another point which has been appreciated by producers all over the Dominion,” said Mr. Ford, “is the importance of maintaining not only regular supplies, but also supplies of your various commodities in fresh condition. In the case of botli meat and dairy produce, you are up against intense competition, and it must be apparent to anyone that all the advertising in the world will not successfully develop the market unless your goods are placed in our shops in as fresh a condition as that of your competitors. The speech made by His Excellency the Governor-General, in opening the annua) conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce, has created a profound impression throughout New Zealand, and there is no doubt that he not only’reflected the spirit of the people at Home, but also touched the vital weak spot in the marketing of New Zealand products today. . "I also found the fruit growers keen on an alteration in present methods, and I ■ think they have realised that with the wonderful opportunities the fruit industry has for future development, they must concentrate on our northern markets, and see that regular supplies are sent there to ensure a continuous interest in their products bv (he purchasing public. “I am convinced that the next ten years are bound to see an enormous increase in the development of your primary products. We have markets in Glasgow capable of absorbing and distributing to great advantage to your producers vast quantities of meat, dairy produce, and'fruit. We have trailers auxiotis to assist in that development, notably in the fruit trade, and what is more we have u public which is rapidly acquiring the idea of buying New Zealand products. You have three powerful bodies out here, namely, the Meat Board, Dairy Control Board, and Fruit Control Board, and. 1 venture to suggest that if these bodies would act in closer unison, together with your dairy factories aud meat exporters, and pay a little more attention to, the question of economic-marketing at Home by way of obtaining regular shipping services to our markets, eliminating Loudon, they will find that by co-operation with importers at Home and the provision of those much-needed services, they will secure an increase in the trade of New Zealand products among industrial areas of Britain and notably Scotland, which will, I am convinced, prove a revelation to many.

"Naturally,'' said Mr. Ford, "one Ims to meet criticisms, some of them not without their value, but these generally have been based upon old-lime conditions. New Zealand Ims to recognise that the outlook towards Dominion trade ar Home is vastly different to what it was a few years ago, mid it is up to those responsible for the development of your trade to see that the present favourable opportunity to establish your produce in our northern markets is not allowed to pass.” Mr. Ford said Im would like to make mention of the great interest which the Press of New Zealand had shown in Ids tour. It was one of the most hopeful signs in the future of New Zealand's development that the Press was alive Io the necessity of getting away from the old practice of dumping New Zealand goods on one market Io the detriment of the industries of the country, and in the neglect of the huge markets in the north of Britain that were ripe for development. Scottish Firms Unknown.

As representative of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said Mr. Ford, he had also cotne into contact with a large number of New Zealand importers, ami it had been part of his mission to explore Ihe reason why Glasgow industries were not securing the greater share of the New Zealand market. He had been much Impressed by the conversations he had had with some of New Zealand s most ex-

perienced traders. The general opinion seemed to be that if the Scottish industries wanted a firm hold in the New Zealand market, those responsible must emulate tlie example of the American, Canadian, and English firms, and do more in the way of personal visits to the Dominion, with a view to ascertaining what New Zealand requirements were, and also to establish personal contact with traders. There was nothing, he was convinced, more advantageous to the development of any trade than to get to know first hand. He had been surprised to find that in many parts of the Dominion some of the oldest and most important firms of Glasgow were practically unknown, and he would certainly see that the views that had been given him were conveyed to his Chamber of Commerce and to Scottish manufacturers in general. “In leaving New Zealand for Australia,” concluded Mr. Ford, “I do so with the firm conviction that my tour has been a profitable one. Great interest has been aroused in the question of better and more extensive marketing of your products at Home, and also in the question of developing our industries here. Both stand to gain by increased trade, and I feel confident that the next few years will see a marked increase in trade between New Zealand and Glasgow in vour primary products, and. I hope, between Glasgow and New Zealand for manufactures.” Mr. Ford will leave by the Makura to-day for Sydney.