THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY

Otago Witness, Volume 14, Issue 2648, 14 December 1904, Page 8

THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY

Mr J. A. Kinsella, who has been reappointed Dairy Commissioner for tho colony, is once more in charge. In the course of a conversation with a New Zealand Times representative he said that, in his opinion, the prospeebs of a large and lasting trade between New Zealand and Africa, particularly in agricultural and dairy products, are almost assured. An enormous trade can be done if New Zealand wilt supply the market in a businesslike manner, giving the purchaser in Africa an article that will suit the consumer. In his report to the Government on this subiect, Mr Kinsella has gone into considerable detail as to the condition in which our produce should arrive in South 4-frica. He is strongly opposed to the system of keepingbutter in large quantities m the cold storage chambers during the winter in order to catch a higher market in the spring. It is true- that a better price may be thus obtained, but the inevitable deterioration i\k

the quality of the article tells against the reputation of the produce from this country. On this point IVLc Kins^lia ha= written in Bis report to the" Government: — "If New Zealand producers do. not get alive to the fact that it is just as important for them to send the very finest quality of butt&r, and that while new or in a fairly fresh condition, to the African markets, as it is to send if in' the latter condition to Great Britain, they will, in my -opinion, have no hop© of competing successfully against the Argentine. I was informed by dealers in" Capetown and Durban that they had- to pay more money for New Zealand butter than they were purchasing Argentine for, and that the quality of the practically fresh Argentine butter, which was being laid down in Africa in 18 to 20 days, was preferred to our stored goods. A quantity of the latter .was till, held in the freezing works, and was being placed on the markets in competition with the Argentine. The only chance we have in competing with the Argentine is on the score of better quality, and I am confident that if our producers aim to get* their butter on the- African markets soon after it is made the Argentine people cannot touch us so far as quality is concerned." . In view of the continued prevalence of disease in stock,, and the slow rate at which settlement is proceeding, the commissioner is convinced that there will be a, large market in South Africa for dairy produce • from New. Zealand for. years to come. The Argentine butter is much .p^tle-r in colour than -the New Zealand article. "While in Capetown and Durban he .learned from a number of dealers that this pale butter was very well thought of, but it .required ~only a glance to see that New .Zealand butter was the- finest-made sent into Africa. The mistake was that they did not get it there 1 - while if was _newer. In his visit to -the Argentine, Mr Kinsella •was greatly— impressed with the enormous extent of the country and its vast richness. '.. One great advantage the' producer in the Argentine enjoys is that he is near to the.i London market. About eight months ago "an arrangement was entered into to „ enable butter from that country to be landed in London in 15 days * While in- England Mr Kinsella investigated the condition of the Home- markets, but on this subject he prefers not to -speak until he has reported to the Government.