BUTTER PROSPECTS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 143, 15 December 1930, Page 14

BUTTER PROSPECTS

HAND-TO-MOUTH BUSINESS

(Received loth December, 0 a.m.) LONDON, 13th December. Butter traders have to thank the fog which prevailed last week-end for causing an advance of about 10s. per hundredweight; • Ships were delayed in the Thames and.when eventually docked, discharge'was slow. Consequently there was a decided shortage of butter, as retailers had previously been buying only from hand-to-mouth and had no stocks to fall back oh. Consumption during November was very good, and according to the Empire Marketing Board's figures, stocks in cold-store were reduced during the month by 293,400 boxes. Despite thia large reduction, there is not much hope of any advance in prices, and most people are doubtful whether present values can be maintained for prospective supplies are very heavy.. To.tal shipments afloat from Australia, New Zealand, and Argentina amount to 892,000 boxes, which is 250,000 more than was afloat this time last year. • ■ ■ i» The New Zealand Producers' Co-opera-tive Marketing Association's, weekly cabled market' report-from London dated 12th December, is as follows: "Butter: Market is firm and prices have steadily advanced during the week. New Zealand, 112s to 116s; unsalted, 116s to 120s; Danish, 140s to 1425. ".', Cheese: Market firm. New Zealand white, 62s to 655;- coloured, 63s to 645; Canadian white, 75s to 78s; coloured, 75s to 765."