HONEY MARKET

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 30, 4 August 1927, Page 14

HONEY MARKET

CONTROL OF PRODUCE

A LUXURY TRADE

NEED FOR ADVERTISING

(From "The Post's" tflepresentative.) LONDON, 18th June.

It is quite safe to say that if there we no organised publicity for New Zealand honey and if the producers had not been called upon to pay Id a lb for advertising there -would be a drop in the' price of the produce of 2d a ]b. That is an argument sufficient in itself to convince those in New Zealand who have been crying out against advertising expenses that they are wrong. There is more to be said, however, because the position is changing from day to day, and it is -(veil for the producers to knoiv that, far from curtailing the advertising, it will be necessary in the future-to make even a greater effort. the wise control exercised over New- Zealand honey, practically no development would have taken place in the industry. If there has been a tendency to see a parallel between the control of butter and cheese and the control of honey, it should be known that the cases are entirety different from one another. Dairy produce is a necessity. Honey is a luxury and an acquired taste. In any case, the price of New Zealand honey- has not been arbitrarily fixed without consideration of the prices of competitive produce. The people of Great Britain generally have not acquired the habit of eating honey. It there were none to be bought in the country merely a handful of people would miss it. If the sales are to be kept up honey has to kept ever before the notice of likely purchasers. The more attractively and the more insistently this is done the greater will be the amount disposed of. The purchase of lioney is an extra and an afterthought with- the bulk of people ni Great Britain. Hide it away irom the eyes of purchasers and they will not think of it nor desire it. ■

New Zealand honey has vow been attractively displayed in the. shops and stores of this country. Publicity commensurate with the amount procurable has been persistently pursued, and'the result has been that it has been disposed of at from 55s to 80s per cwt: People have been •told that our honey is the best 01 all the imported honey; that Imperial Bee Honey has reached the highest standard of quality. Now, though it is a very excellent product, the acceptance of these statements is the result to a certain extent of mental suggestion. There are . other brands which unbiassed people prefer, however defective the producers in NewZealand may consider their taste. The comparatively high price of Imperial Bee is to a certain extent the result of bulk displays in stores, the attractive wrappers the consistenecy o£ the' quality and the packing. . . ■ ■ KEEPING UP PRICES. Californian honey is at present being sold for from 35s to 50s a cwt, and the quality is not so inferior to New Zealand honey as to justify the great ■ disparity of he pnees. In other words, New Zealand honey without its displays, without its attractive labels, without the advertising, and without the sentiment that attaches to Empire produce and to New Zealand itselt, would be selling for not a great .deal more than 35s to 50s. New Zealand honey in short, on its merits, is not entitled to the premium it at present enjoys.. There is not the slightest doubt that Messrs. A. J. Mills and Co., as the sole agents for New Zealand honey, have done ■wonderfully, well for the producers. They receive only their commission, and they arc not inspired by any speculative possibilities. But for the honour of their own arm, their enterprise and energy in marketing the produce have been most remarkable. . ■ The High Commissioner's Department which co-operates with the' firm in arranging the trade exhibitions in various parts of the country have a very high opinion m 1 em- Undoubtedly, the producers could not be better served than they are at present. Mr. H. W. Castle, who is in charge of the honey department, has expressed some views on the controversy that has been going on in New Zealand. ic If you removed control," he said, prices would drop to from 20s to 30s per ewt.As a matter of fact, our cost of advertising now is less than ald per lb It If nearer %d a lb. This advertising is in the form of show cars, window bills, participation in trade exhibitions where New Zealand has a stand, and local displays. In the case of local displays we advertise in the newspapers of that particular centre Otherwise we do not do any newspaper advertising. We are looking to the future when the quantity is larger 'than at present. New Zealand lione.v is' gaining a good reputation in the European market and we have got to develop this. In the case of a proprietary article you have ~ot to advertise. It .is only by advertisuV that you can educate the taste of the people. Customers naturally compare the price of jam with that of honey Thcv I have got to be taught that honey is a food in itself. GROWING COMPETITION. | "Then there is the growing competition to be considered. Canada is grading a fine honey, as good as. New Zealand's. Australia is begining a campaign with her honey. The Australians are under no delusions. They are forming associations m all parts of the Commonwealth to market their produce tinder one parent organisation m Europe, and I understand that the Government will give £1 for every £1 expended by the producers for advertismtr purposes They, will-be satisfied with, a very_much lower,price than New Zealand o°7 iu eIF Produce-probably from i%d to -a a lb less. ."Honey"ebmes to'this market from Russia* iMbena, Jamaica,. and other parts-of the West Indies, Mexico, San Domingo, -Brazil, Argentine, California, and'a certain amount from South Africa.' Excellent -hussian honey is being sold for 455-a cwt 1 here are 250 tons on the market at the' present time. It will.continue to come from Russia and Siberia whatever the diplomatic relations between the countries 1 hey have got to send it whether or not they pretend not to be trading. Although it was reported that the deal in 4000 horses with Canada had been-cancelled after the recent trouble, the 4000 horses were sent to Canada. England^ Russia's only market. _ They will try to get ad on their goods, but if they fail they will send the produce all the same. 7^^ deveI .?P'"B «« market for New Zealand honey m Germany, and it has a very good name there, but unless wV tCt Ptl,; / ga f-D>- *:" \ Orth remembering that the advertising we have done in Germany and the goodwill we have created