THE BUTTER SUPPLY.

Northern Advocate, 19 January 1920, Page 3

THE BUTTER SUPPLY.

POSITION IN BRITAIN

THE RATIONING SCHEME,

While there is considerable support for the view that the restricted fat ration during the war lowered resistance to disease, many medical men speak highly of the excellent system instituted by the Ministry of Food when the submarine campaign was threatening the life of the nation.

The Ministry, writes a Daily Chronicle representative, was faced with two problems:—

Equal distribution of available food; Scientific adjustment of food values.

In solving them expert advice was sought. The rationing scheme was drawn up an consultation with a committee of the Royal Society, and eminent men of science rendered assistance in computing the proportionate nutriment to be derived from different foods and calculating the calorfic value of proteids, proteins, vitamines, and so on.

The result was a rationing scheme which, in the words of one doctor, "brought down the over-fed to the safety margin and ensured that the poorly-nourished were raised to a similar standard—thus doing good to both."

As an expert on tuberculosis stated in the Daily Chronicle, the fat food most missed was butter. The Ministry of Food can hold out no hope, however, that the ration will be increased until well into

next year

Before the war we imported from Siberia between 30,000 to 40,000 tons of butter annually; that source of supply is now cut off. Denmark sent u s about 80,000 tons a year, but at present Continental countries ar° offering very high prices, and we have only been able to secure 10,00 D tons.

too, has not been exporting much recently, and as far as the hom e producer is concerned, the point arise 3 when butter could only be produced at a cost which would render it prohibitive to the ordinary buyer.

"On the whole," said an official at the Food Ministry, "we think we have done, wonderfully well to keep the price at 2s 6d per lb., which is very much below that charged in other countries."