NEW ZEALAND BUTTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19808, 1 December 1927, Page 11

NEW ZEALAND BUTTER.

POSITION IN AMERICA. EFFECT OF IMPORT DUTY. DISAGREEMENT AS TO MARKET. By Telegrnph—Press Association—Copyright. a" and N.Z. NEW YORK, Nov. 129. The United States Department of Agriculture states that the statistical positioa of batter throughout the country is such that the American market holds out no opportunities for Australian and Zealand produce at present. Although the United States is now entering upon the low production season, the storage holdings of butter are unusually heavy, there * being 163,037,C001b on September 1, and 147,412,CK)01b on October 1. The department jiays prices for the best native grades have not been higher by reason of the 12-cent tariff than the prices prevailing on foreign markets New York butter prices on September 27 were between 49 cents for 93 point and 41 cent!! for 87 point. The local wholesale and importing houses, however, are inclined to disagreo with the department. The former state that foreign importations to .local markets have recently been virtually non-existent, and the Chicago houses state that little foreign butter has reached that city in the past three years. New York dealers express the belief that prices will remain steady, or that they may possibly rise somewhat, which would indicate that a market could be made for fresh, high-point Australian and New Zealand butter, packed in tubs Dealers in Chicago say some Bntish Dominion butters which reached Chicago brought lower prices because they were packed in boxes New York butler merchants say it is their belief that the local market will absorb Australian and New Zealand butter, chiefly on account of the taste which has been developed for such butter here, lhey point out that British Dominion butters which reached New York, via London, in 1926, had a total value of £154,200, exceeding even Danish importations, which totalled £124',800.

DENIAL OF REPOBT. STATEMENT BY MR. BRASH. COMPARISON OF PRICES. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday Mr. T. C. Brash, the secretary of the New Zealand Dairy Board, was informed of t.he report of the United States partmecit of Agriculture and its comments, on the statistical position of butter. "It is incorrect," he said, ""to say that the duty of 12 cents (6dj per pound on foreign butter has not had the effect of raising the price of American-made butter. The quotations prove the contrary. " With the price of highest grade American butter at 49 cents per lb., say over 2s per lb., and the London current price to day of 172s to 174,'> Tor finest New Zealand butter, there is a difference of 50s per cwt., representing roughly the 6d per lb. duty. " Tt is admitted by experts in the trade in America, and by dairy authorities and wholesale deaiers that our best New Zealand butter is equal to, or better than the best grades of American-made butter, so that on quality it is entitled to the fullest respect. " But thera is a certain amount of sentiment in this business, in the preference for American fresh butter. To say that the duty has not had the effect of raising the price of the best grades of American-made butter in the States above the prices obtaining for the best grades of butter in the foreign markets, is simply incorrect."

DUMPING DUTY WANTED SHIPMENTS TO CANADA. DAIRY COUNCIL'S REQUESTS. (Received November 30. 5.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. OTTAWA. Nov. 29. A delegation from the National Dairy Council was received by the Prime Minister, Mr W L. Mackenzie King, and eight Ministers, and urged the Government to completely wipe oat the Australian trade treaty, also to apply a dumping clause immediately against New Zealand butter. The Canadian Council of Agriculture supported the demand.