VITAL PROBLEMS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 7, 9 January 1930, Page 8

VITAL PROBLEMS

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY

PRODUCERS AND CONSUMERS Mr. J. B. MacEwan, the head of the firm of Messrs. J. B. MacEwan and Co., well known throughout the Dominion, returned from a trip through Great Britain, America, and the Continent last week more than' ever before impressed by the; vital importance of New Zealand girding up its loina in a sustained effort to ensure its dairy products ranking at least equal to those of its rivals in the world's markets. "The first essential." he said in the course of a brief review of the situation to-day, "is to study more closely and moro persistently than has been the case in the past the tastes of the British consumers and the interests of tho retailers. In offering our products to the consumers, through the medium of the retailers, it must be recognised that they will- pay good prices only for commodities that meet with their approval. Imperial sentiment is in every way desirable, but it cannot be expected to cover defects in Imperial products. Nor does it. Whatever tho source of tho supply, it is quality that ultimately determines its value on the open market. COMPETITION INCREASING. "While the general quality of our butter on the Homo market, as far as I could ascertain by inquiry and personal inspection, is satisfactory," Mr. MacEwau went on to say, "it is obvious that competition is rapidly increasing, both iv quantity and in quality. It is tho best made and the best marketed article that is going to survive, and this being the case it behoves producers at all stages to strive towards this end. Cheese, in this respect, presents even a graver problem than does butter. While we'have increased our exports of cheese during the last few years enormously, we have not succeeded in even maintaining the quality of former years. Frankly, the quality has gone back and the position has become a grave one, not only for the producers but also for the community at large. | Some effective steps should be taken at once to avert the catastrophe which will inevitably overtake a largo section of dairy farmers if matters are allowed simply to drift. FINDING A REMEDY. "I consider the position so grave," Mr. MacEwan emphasised, "that I should like to see a meeting of representatives of' the Dairy Board, the Butter and Cheese Makers' Association, the Exporters' Association, and the State Dairy Service, with the object of discussing the position and finding a remedy for the existing grave state of affairs. Personally, I would strongly recommend the immediate recall of Mr. Boss from London to assist tho Dairy Service in its work.' Mr. Boss has an intimate knowledge of tho needs of British distributors,-retailers, and consumers, and no one is. better equipped than he is to explain and demonstrate to factory directors and managers what is wanted from them. I also should like- to see Mr. H. E. Da vies, the Dairy Board's London manager, visiting the Dominion at the earliest convenient moment. Ho could personally explain to those concerned tho general position of our products upon tho British markets and tho prospects before them. Three years' servico in London has m'ado him' a very competent master of that end of the business." Mr. MacEwan touched upon several other matters of urgent consequence to tho dairy industry, the burden of his appeal being that those in authority should give immediate attention to the threatening conditions that had arisen.