A GREAT INDUSTRY

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 54, 6 March 1922, Page 2

A GREAT INDUSTRY

NEW ZEALAND DAIRY PRODUCTS

THEIR PLACE IN THE BRITISH

MARKET

It is interesting to note that when the war ended and the one cry of the Imperial and Dominions' Governments whs "Produce, Produce!" Some countries under the flag, the prices having fallen, did the very opposite. Tea was one in* stance and rubber was another. The drop from phenomenal war prices was foreseen, and in some quarters, manufacturing as well as producing, production was artificially restricted in order to create a shortage, and so keep prices up. Nothing of the kind was done in New Zealand with respect to production of wool and meat, butter and cheese. This point is driven home as to dairy produce by figures which the National Dairy Association has received from London. These' show that for the eleven months ended 30th November, 1921, the largest overseas contributor of cheese to the British market was New Zealand, and it wan third on the list of suppliers of butter from outside the British Isles, i With respect to butter the imports by the United Kingdom, for the period under review, as compared with last .year and 1913, were as follow:— Butter, cwts.l—From Denmark, 1913, 1,543,739; 1920, 726,942; 1921, 1,149,----762. - Australia, 497,902; 167,654; 830.. 670. New Zealand, 237,428; 271,359 J 651,056. Argentine 66,214; 110,771; 370,701. Other countries, 1,435,756 j 200,759; 218,188. Total, 3,781,039; 1,471,485; 3,220,377. It is interesting to note that amongst the "other countries" is Canada, whose imports were as follow, for eleven months ending 30th November. 1913, 813cwt; 1920, 25,474 cwt; 1921, 43,138cwt. Also whilst a good deal has been heard of the shortage of Danish. This country for the one month of November imported :—1920, 49,022 cwt; 1921, H3,l26cwt. An important point to notice in the above figures is the way Argentina has "come along" as a. competitor in butter. This country will have to be reckoned with in the future, for it is reported by those well able to judge that the quality of its butter is improving, and South America has advantage^ over New Zealand of cheaper labour and cheaper land, and a see journey of 18 to 20 days to London as compared with our 42. The River Plate insulated cargo trade is well handled by ar large number of shipping companies, almost entirely British. FIRST IN CHEESE. The National Dairy Association also reports that imports of cheese '"nto the United Kingdom for eleven months ending 30th November were as follow :—

The high position of New Zealand cheese in British imports is the Dominion Dairymen's response to the Government's cry to "Produce, produce!" From reference made to the subject in Saturday* Post it will be seen that the prospect* are for a still heavier make of cheese in New Zealand next seasbn. . ' The outlet for its profitable marketing is wide and open.in Great Britain; and its reputation is deservedly high—a result for which the New Zealand Government graders are entitled. to. great credit. Upon their grade notes millionß of pounds' worth' of business has been done by firms who. have never seen the cheese so graded, but who are perfectly,, satisfied with the grade note relating thereto,' as though it were a Bank of England note. , TO-DAY'S PRICES. The market and prices of New Zealand j dairy produce in Great Britain to-day are Quoted by the ~ undermentioned houses as follow.:— The Bank of New Zealand, 3rd March:— '■ " Butter.—Market firm j 136s to 140s per cwt. Cheese: Market slow, prices lower. .Coloured, 94s to 98»; white, 82s to 845." New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, 3rd March: "Butter.—New Zealand. 138s t0"144s pier cwt; market steady. Cheese: White, 84s to 86s per cwt; coloured, 94s to 98s W. Weddel and Co., Ltd. (to Messrs. A. H. Tufnbull and Co., Wellington), 3rd March :— " Danish butter, l6Bs to 172s (180s to 184s), New Zealand butter: Unsalted, 138g to 142* (140s to 1455); salted, 158s to 140* /136s to 14()s). New Zealand j cheese: White, 84s to 86s (86s to 90s); colpured, 96s to 100s (98s to 102s). New Zealand butter, first grade salted, good demand." Prices itt parentheses are those of last week. - Messrs.' Dalgety and Co., 3tdi March.: ''Butter—Market Steady at present prices. There is more demand for salted than uhsa ctte3. We quote New Zealand] salted at 140s, Queensland 1365, Danish. 1725. Finest Australian salted 1303, unsalted 1325. Cheese—Market slow i New Zealand colpured 96s to 100s, white 84s to 86s. Australian white 80s 6d to 825." AUSTRALIAN MARKETING. Local prices for butter in Australia arfe, giving the Australasian some concern, it would seem that there are attetopte being made—successful in Queensland— tomake the local consumer pay more'fpr butter than the overseas markets will stand to. This is sought to be * done Ulider the protection of heavy duty, and by producers "gebing together." Tlib Australasian is particularly friendly to producers. It remarks that, "despite the fact that prices of butter in Queensland have been substantially above London parity, the rate of 149s 4d a cwt (boxes Is 6d extrai) is maintained. All the factories in the southern part of the State, ! supported by their agents, have held firmly to fhe arranged, price of 149s 4d 1 owt, state that it is their intention to maintain that figure. In cenral Queensland one factory began to cut prices for) the northern trade, which has somewhat disturbed the market.- Brisbane advices state that this Was followed by another factory cutting rates because otherwise its northern trade would have gone to its competitors. Subsequently this matter was straightened out, as the factories concerned have joined the pool, and agreed to all its conditions." The volun. ta-ry butter pool for Queensland is in. operation, as well as the State cheese pool. Returns of incomings and sales ! are i rendered by agents every week, and levies will be made to equalise the home and export values for all factories. Victorian butter factor) managers who have discussed the question of marketing their produce will contimte to dispose of butter as hitherto. The co-operative agents were anxious to bring the factories into line, so that price 3 for home consumption could bo regulated. To do this, it Was.proposed to adopt an equalisation scheme whereby each factory would be | required to place a, portion of its output | on the home market, and to export the. ] balance, the ratio to be fixed from time to time, according to circumstances. The , I Australasian considered that it was |

rather a large ord»r to ask. factories—although co-operative—to sever their,connection with proprietary agents who had faithfully handled their-produce for perhaps twenty or thirty years. If the proprietary concerns had been linsatisfactory, the factories would long ago have withdrawn their support from them. If there were no' competition, a monopoly would result, and that should be most distasteful to the producers. The farmers, frequently complain of being in the clutches of 'rings,' yet there are still a number of propagandists who .traverse the country with the idea of impressing upon the producers the necessity for pools."

1913. 1920. 1921. From Cwt. Cwt. Cwt.New Zealand 527,886 1j175,458 1,252,975 Canada ... 1,219,999 1,051,642 1,099,502 Australia... 6,114 67,966 70,363 Other Countries ... 403,588 286,000 219,060 Total... 2,157,767 2,581,066 2,642,000