BUTTER DUMPING.

Thames Star, Volume LXV, Issue 19212, 19 September 1934, Page 7

BUTTER DUMPING.

FOREIGN SUBSIDIES. The British Market BLENDING MARKS. HOME FARMERS' PROTEST. How the sales of both Home and Empire producers are affected by the continued dumping of subsidised foreign butter on the British market has again been pointed out in the Press, this time by no less a person than a representative of the British Dairy Farmers' Association, Mr. J. G. Stapleton. He says that for the first half of this year Britain's imports of European butter were up by 423,000 cwt., or 23 per cent. —the increase being largely due to subsidised production and to tho action of Continental countries, such as Germany, in closing their markets to the Baltic States, who were thus forced to dispose of their surplus by sending it into Britain. Until foreign countries have been warned to desist from such uneconomic marketing practices, there should, Mr. Stapleton says, be no talk of Empire quotas. Sir William Wayland, M.P., has confuted a denial from a Danish correspondent in the new agricultural journal, "The Farmers' Weekly," that Denmark subsidises her exports of butter. Sir William explains in detail how Danish "price stabilisation" operates, and urges that all subsidies, direct or indirect, should be abolished before any future trade agreements between Britain and foreign countries are concluded. Only by this means, he says, can the interests of British producers be safeguarded. Marking of Blended Butter. The Press has devoted much attention to a movement, sponsored by the Conservative Parliamentary, Agricultural Committee and the Empiro Industries' Association, for stricter regulation of the marking of blended butters. The only requirement under the present Marking Order is that blended butter containing foreign butter should bear the inscription, "Containing imported butter," no name of origin being requisite. This means that although "straight" foreign butters must be marked "foreign" and Empire butters marked "Empire," a blend of the two, even when it is overwhelmingly foreign, need only be marked, "Including imported," so that the English housewife is frequently and easily deceived about what she is buying.

Sir Basil Peto, a West Country M.P., the other day drew the attention of the Minister for Agriculturo to the fact that last year 37,205 metric tons of Russian butter were imported into this country, and that it was never retailed as such, being blended with other butters and soh 1 under various names which gave no : ndication of the country of origin. Mr. Elliot replied that it was impossible at, present to introduce legislation making obligatory the full description of the origin of component parts of blended butter-; it may be taken for granted, however, that the matter will again be brought up when Parliament reassembles in October.