PRICE OF BUTTER.

Waikato Times, Volume 111, Issue 18534, 14 January 1932, Page 2

PRICE OF BUTTER.

DANISH AND NEW ZEALAND ■' : ':'V ■' ' . v V’“ .1 ’ REABON FOR DISPARITY. AUCKLAND, Thursday. A report presented at a meeting of directors of the Morrinsvllle Co-opera T live ‘Dairy Company dealt with the difference in price between Danish and New Zealand butter on the, English market. It., expressed .mystification that a disparity in price of about 30a a cwt. should obtain. It was stated that since October butter had been selling in the grocers’ shops in England at Is 4d per lb., whereas in, the same period New Zealand butter had dropped in price from is 2d to Is Id per lb. ... . ' ' ' . Inquiries made in Auckland yesterday showed that-the latest quotations,, those for January 12, showed a difference of only 21s to 235 : a owk in. favour of the' Danish product. • Also, as a result of seasonal influences, there was always a wide margin of difference at this time of the year. An. authority stated that a rumour had recently been afloat that Germany intended to raise a higher tariff-.against'Danish butter, and as a result butter had been rushed Into. Germany from-Denmark, leaving supplies for other markets short, with a resultant increase in price. It was also a custom for Danish butter to be sup? plied in Britain by, contract, at. nm.rke: price, so that any increase in the. price of free butter ,meant an extension of the higher price to the contract consignments. ' ‘ . - A Seasonal Matter. A merchant said: "It Is purely"a seasonal matter. At this time-of the year the Danes are stall-feeding their cattle and the output is low and goes ino consumption rapidly, which means a higher price. Nearly all of It goes to the north of England, leaving practically none for the'London-market.” An encouraging feature of the butter market from the Dominion point of, view is the increase In consumption in Britain, .(and particularly tho steadily growing share accruing to'butter produced in the Empire. One man in touch with the position staled yesterday that the weekly consumption in Britain, which only a few years j ago was about 5000 tons a week was ' now. 7500 tons.