MARKETING DAIRY PRODUCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 June 1934, Page 4

MARKETING DAIRY PRODUCE.

Last week two New Zealanders, residents in London but now on a visit to the Dominion, made suggestions that are worth full consideration by all concerned in the welfare of the dairy industry, and particularly by the commission that is now seeking ways and means of restoring that industry’s health. One of them, Mr. Alec Nathan, is a merchant in the London trade who knows the difficulties as well as the opportunities for increasing sales of New Zealand dairy produce in Britain. The other, Dr. J. T. Harrop, has an intimate knowledge of the Press of Great Britain and the value of publicity to trading enterprise. Both visitors agree that an essential to increased sales of New Zealand produce is .continuous and well conducted advertising. They admit that a good deal of publicity has been carried out, and that the Dairy Control Board, in association with the High Commissioner’s office, has done good work in organising special displays of New Zealand produce in the industrial centres of the United Kingdom. But they point out that these efforts have been more or less spasmodic, and that their influence upon sales and their benefit to the industry is shortlived unless it is followed up by organised publicity through continuous newspaper advertising. Mr. Nathan and Dr. Harrop assume that the quality of the Dominion’s exports will receive full attention at this end. It is equally certain that some working agreement in regard to the quantity exported to Britain must be arrived at with the Home authorities. But with those essentials provided there still remains the need for increasing sales if New Zealand produce is to take its rightful place in the markets of the United Kingdom. To inaugurate and sustain planned publicity must be regarded as one of the most important features in the future development of the dairy industry. It is enterprise in the right direction and without enterprise the chances of the industry’s recovery are not hopeful. With all the friendlines towards the Dominion that undoubtedly exists in Great Britain consumers there are not likely to purchase goods unless they are made aware of their quality and where and how they are obtainable. That is the function of properly organised publicity. It is development that will require considerable expenditure, but it is expenditure that every progressive trader will recognise as being one of the best investments an industry can make.