N.Z. HONEY

Hokitika Guardian, 18 November 1927, Page 4

N.Z. HONEY

THE BRITISH MARKET,

-MR J. REXTOUL’S OBSERVATIONS In tile course of an interview in “The British Australian and New Zealander,” Mr J. Ren ton I. chairman of the New Zealand Honey Export Control Board, alter referring to his visit- to the northern centres of the United Kingdom said :

I fie most striking feature with regard to tlie sale of honey is the small extent in which it is used as an article of food in the United Kingdom. This limited use of honey is verified by import and local production figures. Imports for 192(i were, in round figures. 3300 tons; local production is estimated at 1000 tons ; re-exports were 321 tons, leaving a little less than 4100 tons for consumption. A large portion of this 4100 tons is used for manufacturing, reducing the amount of honey for table consumption to a very small item. New Zealand’s consumption is over 1000

tons, and is fifteen times more per head of population than is tiie consumption in Great Britain, which, pei head of population, probably lias a lower consumption of honey than any other country.” After discussing the reason for tin's ■state of affairs .and indicating how honey can take its proper place as one of tlie essential foods. Mr Rentoul concludes :

New Zealand is certainly showing a lead in tin’s direction by taking her best quality honeys and blending them in their natural state into a standard quality, uniform in flavour, colour, and consistence. Tlie first step in getting the public back to tlie use of lionev as a daily food is to give them bonev that is always the same, and always good, and I think this can be said of the quality New Zealand is putting on these markets. The next step must be to educate the public to the value of such honey ns a food, and the many uses in which it might replace cane sugar, not ns a substitute, but by right of superiority.” Mr Rentoul is on his tvay back to the Dominion., and is expected shortly.