OUR DAIRY PRODUCTS

Taranaki Daily News, 21 February 1931, Page 9

OUR DAIRY PRODUCTS

BLENDED BUTTER'. WHY OUR CHEESE SUFFERS. Some time ago a northern leader of the dairy industry stated that blended butter- was being sold in England as New Zealand. The Daily'News referred the matter to an independent authority in London, and the following is the reply:— : . . “We do not know of anyone who would attempt to do this and have never heard of it taking place. There has been considerable criticism and discussion around the question, but it has 'been more a domestic question, the ‘blenders having been accused of putting up their butter, in, (such- a way as to convey to the public the idea that they are purchasing genuine English dairy ibqtter. New Zealand has not been brought into the matter at all. “New .Zealand butter is. now more generally displayed .fpr sale in the shops than at any previous period. Many retailer* feature. ‘New Zealand’ though there are probably more who describe it as ‘Empire.’ The word ‘Empire’ covers ■both New Zealand and Australian, and .also fits in closely with -the intensive propaganda and advertising work being carried out as a result of the recent •joint campaign fostered by importers and the Dairy boards.” , CHEESE QUALITY., The same authority deals -with the reasons why “full.,' does not ■systematically bring .a higher price than, . ■ , “It must be, borqe in mind,” he writes,. “that , the cheddar make of cheese, of which England import* riiany thousand? of (ions weekly, is a standard article as far as'the retailer* are concerned. It sq‘happens that only two countries are supplying England wjth this . cheese, and , the . largest quantity now come* from.Nriw Zealand. New 'Zealand is the lowest priced cheddti'r make of■ cheese that is selling in this ■country, it's only competitor being Can? ada, and - the retailers, through competition amongst themselves, have to put on a pnee for cheese • that w ill 'bring -them trade,-- and .consequently there is always' a' big fight fot price, its this standard'price ,iS the price at which 85 per cent, or -90' per cent-, -o New Zealand is sold to the consumer. When the trade is good and the demand fairly free the cheese, whether full cream or standardised, will make the same price. When the trade is slow, the buyers will, give the preference for full .cream as.it is, .on the whole, better chec£C« “In this way - the regular premium which should be established for the better cheese is not always made, and we can fully understand the New Zealand producers’ questions on this point. Tlie great thing to consider, however, in this matter is the quality of 100 per cent, of New Zealand imported into this country. If 50 per cent. lor. 60 per cent, is not as good as it might be it naturally does not please ?the consumer, and he either docs riot feat as much as he normally would, or buys something else, even if he has to pay 2d or 3d per lb. more for it, and therefore you cannot tell how much you lose through this loss In consumption. You can only sec that New . Zealand is selling at many shillings Jess than Canadian. Five per cent., to say nothing of. 10 per cent, increase In consumption, brought about through fine quality would put a very different ■basis of price on to the whole of New Zealand. “If your factories are content to ■simply gauge their results one factory ■with another, irrespective of the standard price that they get for the whole, then thsy must be the best judges of their future actions.”