DANISH PROPOSALS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 238, 5 September 1935, Page 6

DANISH PROPOSALS

Tiie report from Copenhagen that the Danish Government may invite the British Dominions to discuss with her the marketing of butter with a view to raising the price to a better level for the producer creates a new subject in Empire economic matters and raises a point which may be somewhat difficult of negotiation should the discussions actually take place. Denmark’s position is acute; her exports of butter have fallen by a very large proportion in recent years. Possibly the Danish view is that regulation of the market by all the exporting- interests concerned would maintain to-day’s better prices and even improve them. It would be almost impossible for efficient regulation to take place while a major exporting country stood outside a marketing agreement. However,' the close proximity of Denmark to the British and Continental markets gives her a tremendous advantage over the New Zealand and Australian producer, and in taking advantage of market changes she would be in an infinitely better position than either Dominion, even though New Zealand has already built up a very efficient system of regulating supplies of her own butter and cheese. Any negotiations with Denmark would not be on a parallel with the recent meat discussions in which New Zealand benefited considerably. Our greatest competitor, Argentina, in that instance does not stand in the same geographical relationship to Britain as Denmark does. The fact that it is New Zealand’s intention to take up the matter of dairy produce regulation with Australia in the near future may be one point influencing the reported Danish overtures.