BRITISH DAIRY TRADE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19807, 30 November 1927, Page 14

BRITISH DAIRY TRADE.

CHIEF SUPPLY SOURCES. DENMARK LEADS IN BUTTER. CHEESE FROM NEW ZEALAND. AMERICA'S DECLINING SURPLUS. How the contributions of different countries to Britain's dairy supplies vary "while the total remains comparatively unchanged is well shown in a return of imports supplied by the Dairy Produce Board. Thus, while seasonal vagaries have affected imports of butter from Canada, Australia and Argentina, the growing quotas from New Zealand, Continental countries and Ireland have maintained the total at a fairly constant iigure. A good deal has been heard this year, for instance, of drought conditions affecting the early spring production of butter in Australia and Argentina, but while the is reflected to a limited extent in the return (which is for the nine months ended September 30), the deficit from these sources is moro than made up by the greater surplus elsewhere. The statistical position is. therefore, practically the same and the greater strength of the British market this year is apparently due not to shortage but to the greater buying power of the people due to improved economic conditions. A closer scrutiny of the return, which •urveys imports for the first three quarters of 1925, 1926 and 1927, shows the dominating position held by Denmark in the British butter market. Danish exports have increased each year until this year she is responsible for onethird of British imports, or 1,545,662cwt., cut of a total of 4.596.873cwt.

Ebb and Flow. Other countries which show uninterrupted increase are Finland, Sweden, Netherlands, France and Ireland. The last named country is this year the most important source of British supplies except Denmark and New Zealand. On the other hand less butter was sent into Britain by the United States, Argentina, Australia, Canada and " other countries." Tii 3 shrinkage is most considerable in the case of Australia and Canada.

More striking results are obtained when the return for cheese is analysed. Unlike butter, where a dozen countries are large suppliers, the British market for cheese is chiefly dependent on New Zealand and Canada. The decrease in Canadian supplies in the last three years has therefore had an appreciable effect on tho total even although New Zealand exports to Britain have steadily increased. In 1925 Canada was supplying almost one-third of imports but this year her contribution is less than one-fourth. Meanwhile New Zealand's proportion has grown from 54 to 64 per cent. The only other single country to show an increase is Netherlands, while, as with Canada, imports from Italy, United States and Australia have decreased. This falling off in supplies combined with the greater consumptive demand in Britain have no doubt built up the market to its present strong position.

Nortb America's Position. Of great significance to New Zealand producers is the remarkable drop in imports from North America. The decrease applies both to butter and cheese and shows that the United States and Canada have practically reached the stage where domestic demand has overtaken production. Certainly North America is exporting less butter to Britain than it imports from Australia, New Zealand and Denmark. Moreover, Canada's surplus of cheese is rapidly decreasing. The time ears to be approaching when, of necessity bred by scarcity, these two great markets with their high purchasing power will look to New Zealand for supplies instead of competing against the Dominion in Britain. The board's return is as follows, the figures being those of British imports to tho end of September, in each of the three years:—

SHIPMENTS FOR ENGLAND. LARGE AUCKLAND QUOTA. Of 424,848 boxes of butter and 127,500 crates of cheese for which space has been allotted on ships leaving New Zealand for the United Kingdom between December ' 28 arid January 21, Auckland's quota of butter is 255,625 boxes, or 60 per cent., and oi cheese 28,000 crates, or 22 per cent. In the previous list of space allotments, covering vessels scheduled to sail between November 10 and December 15, Auckland's contributions were 65 per cent, and 15 per cent;, respectively. Following are details of shipments by various steamers, showing the date oi' departure from New Zealand, tho clue date in tho United Kingdom, and the number of boxes of butter and crates of cheese to bo shipped from Auckland and all Dominion ports, tho figures for butter being give l above those for cheese in each case : Depart Due Prom Dom. Steamer. I\".Z. U.K. A'laiul. Total. Tonsariro Dec. 21 Jan. 27. 10,000 45,000 (1,005 Unite , . . Dec 28 Feb. 5 45,000 (10,0(H) 5,000 22,070 Pt Freninntie Dec. 31 Feb. ,'i lit,ooo GO,OOO 4,000 22,ti2it Matakana • . Jan. 5 Feb. 15 7,000 18.000 17.700 Norfolk . . Jan. 7 Feb. 13 74,100 7(5,860 6,000 9.000 City of Winchester Jan. 10 Feb. 21 5,400 Port Sydney Jon. U Feb. 20 25,000 GIS.O7U 24.796 Hororata • . -Tan. 21 Mar. 5. 00,525 70,025 (1,000 19,000

BUTTER. 1925. 1920. 1927. From cwts. cwta. cwts. Russia 247,536 224,661 289,459 Finland 128.000 151,747 105.400 Sweden 50,933 117.937 130,037 Denmark 1,238,35*2 1,478,011 1,545,002 Netherlands . 57.766 13-1,743 156,496 France 21,334 27,542 33,933 United States .1 1,900 4,C10 505 Argentina 352,905 308,503 323,277 J refan d 300,411 361,83-1 454,098 Australia 970,005 572,388 400,5-10 New * Zealand. 1,114,031 9*28,697 981,749 Canada /.. 133,742 49,285 404 Other c'ntri'es 50.050 140.2S8 109.202 Total cwts. 4,677,486 4,500,042 4,590.878 CHEESE. 1925. 1920. .1927. From Netherlands . Italy United States cwts. 97,133 117.519 13,5-14 cwts. 135,450 105,199 10,558 cwts. 103,805 102.933 9,661 27,961 1,450.754 435.207 53,748 Australia . Nev." Zealand Canada Other e'ntries 09,809 1.274.202 751,001 37.005 45,053 1.374.301 012.407 48.110 Total cwts. 2,300,873 2^331,138 27250,129