THE QUALITY OF CHEESE

Taranaki Daily News, 8 August 1930, Page 13

THE QUALITY OF CHEESE

ADVANTAGES OF PREMIUM. RAISING THE (PRICE LEVEL. A report on the quality of cheese received by the Mangatoki Dairy Company from its agents was read at the annual meeting on Wednesday. It stated the institution of a premium on grading points would seem to be a eound co-operative move to improve quality. It would appear that any reduction in yield resulting from the manufacture of best quality would be covered by such local premium, and the majority of factories which would be paying the levy on their output would be induced, compatible with economic manufacture, to get back as much of that levy as possible. A selling premium of Is. per cwt. for finest was very often obtainable. It was a fact that finest cheese, if standing up to that grade, would always get preference at the selling end. On a weak market the best goods would always go first at market prices and inferior goods would Ire left and possibly sold at a reduction in price the following day. If factories concentrated, on producing highest grade the advantage, although it might not at present be definitely shown in a selling premium, would bo reflected in the average price returned for all cheese and in the improvement in general standing of New Zealand cheese on the market. Such would mean a share of the better class trade in the United Kingdom which the North Island factories as a whole had blipped from during the past few years. According to recent advices, ‘‘lf New Zealand cheese could be improved in quality so that it gave more satisfaction to the retailer and the consumer the consumption would materially increase and so an increasing outlet would be found which would mean a higher •basis of prices. In our examination of a large number of New Zealand factories, January and February make, we find, that full cream cheese, from the South Island particularly, opens up much better than the general run of standardised from the North Island made at the same time. The bulk of this South Island cheese is. unwaxed and has matured in its natural way without any retardation by waxing and the difference in the general quality, texture and appearance as compared with the North Island standardised is meet marked.”