SWING TO BUTTER

Southland Times, Issue 25385, 12 September 1935, Page 12

SWING TO BUTTER

CANADA IS MAKING LESS CHEESE The development of the dairy industry in Canada is very interesting. The manufacture of chdese is giving place to the maufacture of butter.' At one time Canada was the principal supplier of cheddar cheese to British markets, but New Zealand has quite ousted her from that position, now supplying about four times the Canadian total. Last year Canada exported 147,671 boxes less than during 1933, the decrease being equivalent to about 13,000,0001 b. This is the smallest quantity during any year since 1888. On the other hand the production of butter increased by 12,216,1561 b or 5.6 per cent, greater than in 1933. The increase in the production of butter in Ontario and Quebec alone last year was equivalent to more than 15,500,0001 b of cheese, while the decrease in cheese production in all Canada was about 13,000,0001 b. Thus the increase in butter production in two provinces more than offsets the decrease in cheese production for the whole country. The satisfactory feature of the Canadian position so far as New Zealand is concerned is that while butter is displacing cheese the big increase in butter is not going to the English market. Exports of butter last year only amounted to 428,3001 b, compared with 4,327,2001 b in 1933, and of the amount exported last year only 4001 b went to Britain and this was some experimental butter. The reason for this is that Canada is developing as a manufacturing country and i.- capable of absorbing more of its farm produce. It is expected that with the increased production of butter, prices for this will rule at a lower range of values than at present. The Government is, therefore, urging Canadian dairy farmer's to cull out their low-producing, and’definitely unprofitable, cows, a policy which should be preached in all countries at the present time.