DAIRY PRODUCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22101, 3 November 1933, Page 13

DAIRY PRODUCE

BUTTER PRICES ADVANCING CHEESE OUTLOOK. ' ) ' (Feou Odr Own Correspondent.) LONDON, September 13. The further advance in butter prices this week (says the trade journal, Grocer) has come as no surprise to the trade, because, Giving to the dry weather conditions in this country and in the chief producing countries of Northern Europe, there are decreased supplies. In connection with the statistical position of the colonial butter market, it may be mentioned that the out-of-store" movement from the reserve stocks in the various cold stores in London and throughout the provinces continues extremely heavy, and this movement is likely to be accentuated very considerably between now and the end of October. The opinion seems to be gaining ground that during the next few weeks prices for all descriptions of butter are likely further to advance. This is not an expression to bull the market, because it has to be taken into account I that for a considerable time past butter prices have been abnormally low, and even I at the present higher level established, they are still much below those which prevailed at this time last year. There is not the slightest doubt that available supplies of New Zealand and Australian salted and unsalted butter creameries on the spot are insufficient to meet the average weekly consumption, and more or less the same remarks apply to current arrivals of Danish and other Continental descriptions. It is reported that a considerable proportion of the September and October production in the Irish Free_ State will be kept back for local requirements. The extremely hot and dry weather has so reduced production that , reserve stocks are almost negligible. Therefore, it io highly probable that the various quotas for Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerlandj Italy, and other Continental countries will be increased at any time, and it is confidently anticipated that all the above countries will be buyers of foreign butter much earlier than usual. The best descriptions of butter, colonial and Danish, have sold'very well this week, and more attention is being paid to underpriced selections such as Siberian and other kinds. Prices for all grades have moved in favour of sellers. The butter market for a long period past has been unduly depressed, but more optimism now generally prevails. GOOD DEMAND FOR CHEESE. For quite a long time very little attention seems to have been bestowed upon cheese, as bacon, eggs, and butter appear to have been occupying all the limelight. In the meantime, the price of cheese in Canada has continued to drop, until lute July and early August make have been sold in the 40’s —a level of price which one has to go back to the pre-war days to find. Just the last day or two, however, the cheese market hag shown signs of recovery, and quotations from montreal come in t*he 50’s. New Zealand cheese on the spot is also quoted decidedly over 50s, whereas the price has been slightly below 50g latterly. The statistical position is very much the same as it was last year on a higher price level.' Even then prices of Canadian cheese advanced some 10s per cwt within a few weeks, and it will not be altogether surprising to see history repeat itself. It is a fact that the stock of New Zealand, Australian, and Canadian cheese in London is very fractionally higher than it has been on an average during the past three or four years, but against this the make in Canada is considerably less. The dry summer weather which has been experienced in England has been responsible for a very good and increasing, consumptive demand. These factors considered together give promise of a higher price level for cheese very shortly. FOOD STANDARDS. In the same' issue of' the Grocer the setting up of standards for foodstuffs is considered, the inspiration coming from the report of the Birmingham city analyst. The article concludes with a reference to New Zealand butter. “No doubt there are some objections to food standards, for, as the chairman of the Birmingham Grocers’ Association paid on Monday, he is ‘not convinced that the fixing of standards is necessarily a good thing. In his opinion, it often tends to, lower the general standard. When there is a standard we seldom get ( an article which is above the standard?' There certainly is a temptation to work as closely to the official standards as possible. Thus, years ago, &ew Zealand butter was noted for its extremely low moisture content. Can the producers be blamed if they now work to a standard which is not quite so far below the now legal 16 per cent, limit? So far as retailers are concerned, they would welcome ! rather than oppose the setting up of ! authoritative standards which would pro- I vent the institution of prosecutions according to the whims of officials; but we would once again emphasise the fact that the warranty defence for the retailer must bo made available if further food 1 standards are fixed.”