ARGENTINE AND THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 December 1924, Page 11

ARGENTINE AND THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Considerable’’ attention has been directed of late to the growth of the Argentine as a factor in the dairy in dustry. 1 believe that that country will be a heavy producer of a certain class of butter in a few years, but I would like the producers as a "whole to have a definite knowledge of the situation there and not be misled in any way. It seems that a policy of development of what we know as "small farmers” is being embarked on by the Argentine Government; in fact, I have in my possession a leaflet outlining the proposed changes in the colonisation law aiming to reduce to some extent the large estates that dominate the position. A suggestion has been made in some quarters that this development of Argentine is to be attributed to vindictive action on the part of British produce merchants and as retaliation on their part for New Zealand dairy producers having dared to amalgamate and establish a united body in the form of the control board to attend to matters vital to the industry. 1 would like to say that I, for one, do not believe any such canard. In the first place, the British merchants have not been injured by the establishment of the Control Board, nor is there the slightest reason for suggesting that they will be. They are, as far as I can

see, an absolutely essential link in the 'chain of marketing. No suggestion has yet been put forward by the board to warrant any thought that reputable merchants and distributors will suffer any loss from the natural desire "of producers to effectively safeguard their produce on to the British market. I regard the development of the Argentine as an inevitable development, and in no way contributed to in any degree by any action on the part of New Zealand producers. To suggest, as has been done in at least one quarter — fortunately not a very influential one—that the activity in the Argentine in dairy matters is entirely due to the developments- in New Zealand, and that the New Zealand producers, before any further "harm” was done, should cease

"antagonising” the British interests, is to my mind, merely ridiculous, and too poor a bait with which to catch any producers. Can it be seriously expected that 60,000 dairy farmers would be frightened by any such weak suggestion. To my mind the idea is absurd. I believe it to be true that the Argentine will increase in importance as a dairy producing country, but that face brings but in increasing importance the need for our continued- development along united co-operative lines. We need now more than ever unity in marketing and advertising our products-. If we, as producers, are to maintain the position we have won in the world’s markets for quality butter and cheese, we must attain the- highest possible efficiency not only in production and manufacture, but also in the marketing and advertising of our produce. The selling of his produce is as important to the farmer as is the production and manufacture of it. It is distinctly the producer’s place to advertise his own goods and thereby give the best of aid to the distributor in satisfactorily sell-

ing that produce to the consumer. Farseeing merchants realise the value of such backing up of their efforts, and no less an authority than Sir Thomas Clements has directly advised the New Zealand producers to collectively advertise their goods. In addressing a meeting at which the members of the overseas delegation of the Control Board were entertained in Glasgow, Sir Thomas Clements said that they (the merchants) were out to handle butter and cheese from all parts of the world without respect to nationality. They would sell what paid them best and what was demanded by the public. There was no sentiment or question of kith and kin in the matter, and it lay entirely with the producer to supply a first-class article at a- reasonable price and to create by propaganda a demand for their own goods. This blunt but practical advice from the spokesman of the merchants surely convinces every farmer throughout New Zealand of the absolute need for combined action on the part of the producers to face the competition of the future. We must advertise our own goods collectively in order to reach the public and create that demand for our produce which it is the business of the distributors to satisfy. The distributor won’t do it. “There is no sentiment in business.” We must do it for ourselves. I see, therefore, in the development of the Argentine a reason for the hardening of our determination to protect our own produce by unity in action, not a reason for weakening and slackening in that determination. Disunited we will be easy prey on the market for any competitor, but united we can do and will do much to maintain our reputation and safeguard our interests. If the returning delegation of the Control Board recommends a collective advertising policy or any other measure to improve the marketing of produce in the Homeland, I feel sure they will have the hearty support of all farmers concerned with their own fut ire prosperity. —I am, etc., D. FULTON. Tuakau.