7½d. A POUND

Southland Times, Issue 22218, 10 January 1934, Page 5

7½d. A POUND

EMPIRE BUTTER

EXTREME WEAKNESS OF MARKET.

HEAVY SUPPLIES

(United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) London, January 8.

An illustration of the weakness of the butter market is indicated by the current advertising campaign both in the Press and on posters: “Best Empire butter, 8d a pound.” Some firms specify New Zealand and others Australian. Lyons’ staff stores at Olympia, at which the public arc eligible to buy, have gone better by quoting 7ld a pound. This is believed to be the lowest in history. The Daily Telegraph, in a special article dealing with the cheapness and heavy supplies of butter, says that the finest Empire butter can now be purchased at lOd a pound, which is as cheap as within living memory. A similar quality in France costs 3/-, yet the market expects the present low prices to continue for a considerable time.

Dominion and foreign shipments to Britain are so vast that if every man, woman and child ate lllb weekly, it would not exhaust the supplies. .In 1911, a typical pre-war year, Britain’s imports equalled Jib per capita. For the eleven months to November 30, Britain imported 8,017,780 cwt, Jfor_ the corresponding period in 1932 7,605,163 cwt, and in 1931 7,287,346 cwt. Discussing the effects of these heavy imports on local production, the Telegraph says: “Since the advent of the national milk marketing scheme the farmers have sold more milk as such instead of making butter and cheese. Denmark continues to be the largest exporting country because a number of people, especially in the Midlands, now insist upon Danish butter, despite the higher price owing to the duty.” A DEFINITE OUTLET SHIPMENTS TO CANADA. (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, January 9. Commenting on the difficulty which has arisen regarding shipments of butter to Canada, a Wellington exporting firm explains that the present position is different from what it was last. exporting season when a prohibitive dumping duty was imposed by the Canadian Government. Shipments being made to Halifax this month total about 10,000 boxes. This butter has been sold to Canadian houses, who have a definite outlet for the butter, whereas last season’s consignments were forwarded by certain New. Zealand interests in anticipation of finding a market on arrival.