DAIRY PRODUCE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 4 October 1926, Page 5

DAIRY PRODUCE

NEW ZEALAND EXPORTS;

OUR COMPETITORS’ IN BUTTER •• . (No. G.) -V " A comprehensive view of the. situation New Zealand’ finds herself in under, the head of competition, from, other countries must precede a closer grappling with the actual problems' of production and manufacture, to which the Star will devote itself ini subsequent articles. - . - • • Though'* South Taranaki is interested chiefly in cheese, _ it is necessary, in dealing with the industry as a whole, to give due consideration to butter, the situation in regard! to which is'fully considered herein. Many New Zealand dairy companies have withheld their butter from the Home market, rather- than feed it with supplies, week by week. To such aa extent has this withholding! been indulged in that frequently of late buyers visiting, London warehouses have seen no New Zealand butter on the floors, and have found it necessary to buy butters from other countries,. Generally it is less difficult to lose clients than to get new customers X -’ ■ - Denmark’s supply of button rto .the United Kingdom is faii'ly well stabilised as. regards quantity. The Australian]! supplies of butter to Britain!,, in 1925 showed- a large increase, but Australia’s exports are likely to fluctuate owing to climatic conditions, and its ever-increasing population will- make further encroachment on the total production, by way of- home - consumption. - - Russia, Finland and other' Baltic States, such a® Esthonia and -Latvia are giving increased -attention to quantity and quality of butter for export. In 1913 the United Kingdom received over 37,000 tons from Russia,. which included Finland. No exports? were received from, there during some-of the war years, or during 1921, blit jn 1925 the United Kingdom received _ some 23,000‘tons from Russia and-' Finland. These. countries are further extending their dairying industry. Germany has, however, been importing butter, and the British market Has been relieved 1 to some extent thereby. The increase in duty on dairy products in U.S.A. is causing Canada to use the English markets to a greater extent. Supplies of milk and cream, which Canada once sent to U.S.A. must now he converted into butter of cheese for the United Kingdom. The quality of Canadian butter has beeni improving, but the quantity is comparatively small, -and is not- likely- to ; bee on the market continuously. Sftip|>]SerS of Irish butter are of . much more consequence. and the quality of a oonsiderab’e portion is irood. In 1925 the United- 'Kingdom imported some 292,000 r tons of butter, as compared with 207,(XK).. in 1913. Supplies are, therefore, plentiful, and selljng value® will have to be such; as .will cause these supplies to. go into sumption. - - —'*■; New Zealand butter 1 ranks-next. to Denmark with regard to price. ~W« could, and should, retain 'this- position! if wo succeed in our present" erideavours- to improve the quality.'- '•< . X A® regards cheese. the imports mto the United Kingdom during the last 12 years have increased from about 115,000 tons to 155.000 tons. It is manifest that a greater cheese consumption is necessary, and' that, inasmuch as .New Zealand has to Find consumers for her increased quantity, the necessity- of giving extra- attention- to quality can scarcely bo too strongly, stressed* , ,

N.Z. PRODUCE IN STORE

LONDON ESTIMATE CORRECTED. '• ~*' ■f- '* ti BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. LONDON, Oct. T. * With reference to a message-r-cfibled on September 22 concerning hutter,, tlie figures given an it should have read that there were 700,000 boxes ofuNew Zealand butter (out of a total, of 1,000,000 from all sources) in cold .storage. These figures were based oh London produce estimates. - ~ J " It is stated to-day that 50,000 boxes of New Zealand blitter hr,ve been: sold since September 20, leaving 650,000 boxes- in cold store. .. In regard to this. Mi: Grounds, chairman of the C-o ntrol .Board, -- states “There is no reliable means of • estimating the total fr.bmi'lall sources that is in store, because -returns are not compulsory, but, from ",figures supplied to me I should say ,the„ estimates that there were 700,000 boxes of New Zealand butter in store bit September 20 is considerably exaggerated.’-’ He added: “There is undoubtedly some amroyance among ~th<v .London buyers at New Zealand l fabtoriesi ‘withholding .supplies from the market, aitd! regarding this I am shortly cabling New Zealand.” •