NEW ZEALAND CHEESE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1009, 27 June 1930, Page 13

NEW ZEALAND CHEESE

METHODS OF PRODUCTION DISCUSSION AT CONFERENCE Special to THE SUX HAMILTON, Thursday Statements to the effect that tlm quality of New Zealand cheese had shown gradual deterioration in recent years were made at the National Dairy Association conference today. Problems relating to the production of cheese occupied the attention of the conference throughout the day. An exhaustive review of the position was given by Mr. w. M. Singleton, director of the Dairy Division, in an address to the conference. “The market has been less favourable to New- Zealand cheese during the past season than hitherto," he said. "Adverse trade conditions have been general and under conditions producing receding prices it is usual to experience more complaints respecting quality. Further, butter prices have, during the season, receded much more than have our cheese prices, and in spite of these facts there are more adverse reports respecting cheese qualitv than that of our butter. We cannot, therefore, afford to ignore the reports respecting the unsatisfactory quality of some of our cheese.” TOO MUCH MOISTURE An analysis of unfavourable reports dated last February and early March indicated that about half ~of the cheese showed too much moisture, while the other half showed too little. As managers became more experienced in the manufacture of standardised cheese these variations might be expected to decrease and as market conditions became more normal less complaint might reasonably be expected. "A regulation has been drafted and submitted for approval giving the director of the Dairy Division power, after making all necessary representations to a company, to cancel its certificate of registration for the factory if the company persists in intentionally making low quality produce,” said Mr. Singleton, after referring to the procedure adopted by certain companies making standardised cheese. Outstanding facts were that when the Dairy Board was paying differential advances according to grade, nearly 53 per cent, of New Zealand cheese was classed as finest. There was still a considerable percentage of New Zealand cheese graded as finest, but the percentage was reducing year by year. In a summary, Mr. Singleton made various recommendations for improving the quality of cheese. ITe favoured differential payments based on grade points. UNFAVOURABLE CABLEGRAM In the afternoon the chairman, Mr. A. Morton, read a cablegram received from the New Zealand Dairy Importers’ Association, dated London, June 20, stating that it was unanimously agreed that the arrivals of New Zealand cheese during the 1920-30 season show a pronounced general deterioration in quality on that of previous years, and that standardisation of cheese had undoubtedly lowered the prestige of New Zealand cheese. The association considered that the consumption and Prices could b© improved only by reversion to full-cream cheese, and that the grading in New Zealand should be considerably tightened. Mr. T. A. Winks (Hawera) suggested that different pools should be established for cheese made of pasteurised milk and for cheese made of unpasteurised milk. He moved: “That this meeting recommends the institution of a system of compulsory levy, and the payment of a premium on cheese according to quality, such lew to be made and premium paid on groups of factories according to grading stores: the basis of the scheme to be the grading points and differential payments by the director of the Dairy. The motion was carried, and it was further decided to ask the director of tne Billy Division to cancel the licence of any factory not manufacturing cheese of required standard. CHEESE PRICES N.Z. AND CANADIAN DISPARITY EXPLAINED oro m Our Own Correspondent iIAM ] i .TON, Thursday, explanation of the disparity in Places between New Zealand and Canadian cheese was given by Mr. W M Singleton, director of the Dairy Division, at the annual conference of 4 \TA atl !? na * Dairy Association today. New Zealand cheese came on that market m the eighties,” said Mr. “ a 2 d dm 'ing the present century fsew Zealand has been increasmg her production very rapidlv Canada reached her maximum export to the United Kingdom in the nineties and has been reducing her exports durjng much of the period that New Zealand s have been extending. The total import of cheese into the United inio^i 0m bas * however, increased since 1913 by one-third, whereas the population has increased by only about 7 per cent. The proportion of the population which consumes cheese must have been augmented very considerably to take charge of the increase in imports.” The quantity of New Zealand cheese been . increasing and the quantity of Canadian had been decreasing, it was New Zealand cheese for which the new consumers had to be found ana the changing-over to cheese by these consumers made it necessary for New Zealand cheese prices to attract them in most cases from some other food commodity. Hence New Zealand cheese had to buy its way into the market, whereas Canada was in a position to surrender that portion of her clientele which would pay least money.