NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 4 January 1928, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE.

POSITION IN’ HOME MARKETS

COM PET ITI O N INC REA SIN G

Mr Stronacli Paterson, who was the Government representative on the London agency of the Dairy Produce Board; and who returned to New Zea-

land a couple of weeks ago, stated in the course of an interview with a reporter of the “Otago Daily News" that he considered that during his two years’ residence in England there had been a marked general improvement in the financial and industrial conditions in the United Kigdom. Mr Paterson gave some .interesting information regarding the importation of New Zealand produce to Condon — a business which, of course, had come directly under his notice. He said that the competition with New Zealand butter was growing very rapidly in *Tne markets of tlie United Kingdom. The Argentine was improving the quality of its butter, and in the past two or three years had shown an improvement corresponding to that shown by New Zealand, say, fifteen years ago. The prices of the Argentine article ran a little lower than those obtained for the Danish New Zealand, and Australian manufactured article, but the producers in the .South American Republic we gradually improving the quality of their butter, and were aiminf to put it on a standard equal to that of the Dominion product. Then again tlie outputs from the Baltic provinces. from Germany, and from Siberia were rapidly being brought up to those obtaining prior to the war. i the face of this competition LM'r Paterson pointed out that it was imperative that the New Zealand producers should continue tp pay tlie greatest attention to quality, and also, continue to cultivate the goodwill in every possible wav of those controlling the market at Home. It was pleasing to note that the quantity of butter being manufactured in New Zealand was growing rapidly, and the position had now arisen that the world production was approaching the world consumption. Following on the war, the, demand for butter had been in excess of tlie supply, but, as he had l stated, the position was now changing round. As regarded the cheese markets in the United Kingdom, New Zealand was very favourably l placed. New Zealand’s chief competitor in the past had been Canada, but the supply from there was falling off very considerably. This position had been brought about by the increased consumption of milk products in the United States, which was now drawing largely for its supplies on Canada, thus reducing the surplus available for export to the United Kingdom. New Zealand was by far the biggest exporter of cheese to the United Kingdom. but the production in tlie United Kingdom itself was larger than the importations. The quality of the New Zealand article was also of a high .standard, and there was only one importation which commanded a higher price. That was the Canadian cheese, but it had to be remembered that it was shipped to London under entirely different conditions from that connected with New Zealand cheese. The Canadian was matured at the ports of shipment, whereas the New Zealand cheese was shipped from the factory after about four or five weeks from the. day of manufacture, and then it was on board ship for another six weeks or so. The best Canadian cheese realised Is or 2s per hundredweight above the price obtained for New Zealand. but it was difficult to compare the. prices for the two articles, because they came on the Home markets at different periods. Taking an average, however, Canadian cheese commanded a slightly higher price than New Zealand, but this 1 fact notwithstanding there was an excellent demand for the Dominion article. Mr Paterson said that the position

in connection with the frozen meatmarkets in the United Kingdom had been a very difficult one during the past- two or three years. The low prices of Argentine chilled beef had reacted on the whole of the meat mar-

kets. but despite this factor he thought that the juices that had been obtained for New Zealand meat must, under the circumstances. be considered very satisfactory. New Zealand . mutton stood very high in the favour of the London merchants, and New Zealand lamb stood out bv itself amongst the importations of this type of frozen meat Here, again, the Argentine was proving a. very serious competitor, but not nearly to the same extent as in dairy produce The competition from Australian frozen meat, fluctuated considerable. as the output from there was affected by drought years. The information he ‘ had had before he left London went to show, said Mr Paterson, that the export from Australia this vear would lie seriously diminished. He thought that the' Empire Marketing Board, in London, on which were representatives of all the overseas dominions, was beginning to do valuable work in the popularising of

Empire products. As a matter of fact. New Zealand had little fault to find ns regarded the popularity of its expoits amongst the Home consuming public. Taking them all round they were very favourably known, and well received in Britain.