GERMANY’S FOOD

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 58, Issue 4190, 29 May 1939, Page 2

GERMANY’S FOOD

CHANCE FOR NEW ZEALAND EXPORTS. DISPOSING OF SURPLUS EWE MUTTON. “A sudden jump in London egg prices at the eind of March, followed by a rise in many country markets, is attributed to heavy buying by Germany. Our imports from Holland have fallen by about 50 per cent, and it is reported that large numbers are also being diverted to Germany from Eire. It is estimated that some 50,000,600 eggs due to arrive here during the last fortnight or so have been bought by Germany, and increases of up to 25d per dozen have been recorded in sq/ie markets.” That is an extract from a London trade report. A table published at the same time gives the butter consumption of several countries as follows: New Zealand, 40.7 lb each inhabitant; Australia, 34.2; Canada, 32.7; Britain, 24.8; then follows Germany 19.6; Denmark, 17.9; and the United States of America, 16.7 lb. In cheese the German figure was 11.9 lb, compared with Britain’s 8.6 lb, an dthe former was the third highest European consumption. Australia used only 4.5 lb per citizen. An Argentine visitor now in New Zealand, Senor Alvear, mentioning beef grades in his country, -gave five, one being German. The Republic supplies bi,g shipments of beef to Germany.

EWE MUTTON POSSIBILITY.

The point that these facts and figures are resigned to lead to is this: Might not New Zealand ship surplus ewe mutton to Germany? The phrase “ guns v. butter ” was a catchy one, and thus widely appreciated. On actual facts, however, it led to conclusions now seen to be erroneous. Germany is the second greatest fold importer in the world to-day, setfbnd only to Britain. It is seen th:ijf the provision of guns has not deprived her people of butter; they ate’more than did those of Denmark or ihe United States. Inany is taking Argentine beef. South American States are unod to share in this trade also, tedly beef and pork are the to which the Continental peore accustomed, but even so the less with which we could supir surplus ewe mutton should dly create a market for it there in a day, but developed steadily, ofrer a period. Now that Britain is no' longer a bottomless sink into which! we can pour our produce, we must I seek alternative markets as never ’before.