COMBINED SELLING

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 38, 13 August 1930, Page 14

COMBINED SELLING

PROSPECTS FOE BUTTER

■ Mr. C. E. D. Meares. general manager of the Producers'- Co-operative l"«Uibuiiug Societj'i who has just completed a business tour to Great Britain, returning to Sydney via the Netherlands East Indies, giving his impressions of the dairying industry, stated that for tho first lime lor many years all dairy producing countries simultaneously experienced a prolific season, which was mainly responsible for the lower and unprofitable range of values. These conditions were admittedly abnormal, and may not appear again for a decade. .■■■.>'

■There is, however, a definitely permanent increase: in the outputs of Denmark and New Zealand.. Other factors were the good season prevailing on the Continent and the continued . fall in. the purchasing power of the British public. Mr. Meares appreciated the opportunity of being present during the difficult period and the gradual improvement noticeable after early April. Prospects were now bright for the stocks of Australian butter withdrawn from sale during the slump period. A purview of the marketing position month to month emphasised, from the Dominions' viewpoint, the necessity for greater concentration with sales of New Zealand and Australian products. From December to June these producing countries constitute, a marketing force which is disseminated by the plethora of firms handling the goods. If the combined export of the 180,000 tons of butter and cheese was confined to the care of some half-dozen responsible, houses, there would be orderly, non-speculative marketing under the producers' ■ control during the above period, when Great' Britain is so largely dependent upon the supply from these Dominions. A featore of this season's market, Mr. Meares added, was the advent of 100,000 boxes from South Africa, which, owing largely to the absence of universal pasteurisation in manufacture, was not of choicest quality. One noticed- a definite quality uplift from Queensland, but Victoria has not yet regained her reputation established a few years ago. The upbuilding of the New South Wales butter was well maintained, and buyers consistently endorsed this by the relatively higher prices paid. .The recent combination of selling. interests between the co-operative organisations of New Zealand and Australia under the iitle of Empire Dairies Ltd. .was not established a day too soon.