Britain Will Still Buy More Butter

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 39, 16 February 1937, Page 8

Britain Will Still Buy More Butter

Dominion Must Support Reciprocal Trade PROFESSOR RIDDET SURVEYS THE DAIRY MARKET “The quality of our dairy produce selling in the United Kingdom is very good. While there are a number of parcels which could be materially improved, our butter and cheese on the average enjoys an excellent reputation,’’ declared Professor W. Riddet, director of the New Zealand Dairy Research Institute at Massey College, who returned to Palmerston North last evening from a 12 months’ trip overseas. His tour was made partly on a Carnegie Corporation grant, partly with the assistance of a subsidy from the Government, and partly with a subsidy from the Dairy Produce Board and the Meat Board. “Whereas some years ago exception was frequently taken to the quality of our cheese, these objections have now largely disappeared,’’ stated Professor Riddet, “because of improvements which have been made. “However, we must not for one moment rest on our oars. Competitition for the sale of dairy products in Great Britain is very keen, and the supply so great as to make it practically a buyers’ market. There is no second grade produce, really speaking, sold in the United Kingdom. There are several degrees of good. Wo cannot afford to take anything but a leading part in the market. Many countries are quickly reaching our standards, and we must not on any account allow them to pass us. Don’t Ape Continent. 44 It is gratifying that New Zealand butter is selling in increasing quantities in the north of England and in Scotland, a market formerly monopolised by Continental brands of butter. It is not that we are supplanting Continental suppliers but that butter is being used by people who formerly used margarine. We have an opportunity of extending our output to that market. In the past it has been urged that we should simulate Continental packing styles and butter types for the northern market, but to do that to-day would be a mistake as people have become accustomed to our own distinctive package and blend. “So long as we keep quality and marketing up to standard, we need not fear four our produce on this market,” declared Professor Riddet. “The United Kingdom demand for butter is increasing. A few years ago we were told that if the gross import of butter into Great Britain reached 500,000 tons we would be selling there at next to nothing. Last year tho imports reached 480,000 tons and yet prices were higher than for the previous year. We have not yet reached the limit of consumption in Britain; many people can be educated to eat more butter than they do now. This aspect is being stressed by the leaders of the movement towards better nutrition. They are encouraging tho people to eat the best health-promoting foods, and butter and cheese are included in that category. “It must be remembered that so long as we expect to expand the market, we cannot hope for any great ri3e in price. If production is held to a price level of about Is a pound in London, we need fear no great diminutidn of demand.

“If tho price is raised too high, it will place butter beyond the consumptive reach of the masses of the people. It must also be remembered that so long as the price is maintained at about is a pound, there are no countries in the world better fitted to supply the market thar. are New Zealand and Australia. Many Continental countries would find it difficult to sell economically at that level. A Nuffield Gesture. 4 ‘lt cannot oe over-emphasised that if we hope to find an expanding market in Great Britain we can do so only by affording in our own country markets for British goods. It behoves us more than ever to support tho buyers of our produce. “The advantage ot reciprocal trade is demonstrated by the fact that the 30,000 employees of tne great Morris motor works now use New Zealand butter almost exclusively. “Reciprocal trade is t6-day ihe surest way of conserving and consolidating the strength ot tka Empire, and is thus the surest way of building for peace.” A Market for Bacon. Discussing New Zealand’s trade with Great Britain in pig products, Profes sor Riddet said that in the past two years that trade had been largely in porkers. “Oud pork was highly regarded in the United Kingdom on ac count of its quality, which was second only to that of the British pork, which had the advantage of freshness. We could never expect to overcome that advantage. ” e New Zealand bacon did not have the same fine reputation as pork. “This is a question to which bacon producers must give their attention. There is an absolute need for the enforcement ot grading standards at least as exacting as those employed by rival producing countries on the Continent. If we are to expand our pig exports to Britain it must be by increasing the number of baconers sent. Last year we enjoyed the advantages resulting from a reduction of the number of pigs in the United states, which formerly sent large supplies to Great Britain, We