NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19659, 20 August 1935, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE

DRIVE FOR BRITISH TRADE. BIRMINGHAM CO-OPERATION. “SELF-HELP” EXHIBITION (From a Correspondent.) LONDON, July 18. Following New Zealand's successful campaign In the Staffordshire Potteries last month, the Dominion Dairj Board has arranged to hold a similar reciprocal trade exhibition in Birmingham. The exhibition, which opens to-day, is part of the board’s final sales campaign of the season. Prominent Birmingham firms, representing the medical and chemical requisites, rubber tyre, motor-cycle bicyole, small arms and ammunition, nail, bolt and screw, and steel spring manufacturing Industries, are exhibiting their products at the New Zealand "shop” side hy side with' Dominion butter and cheese, as an illustration of what Birmingham and New Zealand can and do send to each other aoross 12,000 miles of ocean. The board is pointing out that, as a result of New Zealand's Empire preference policy, 'Britain now commands about 70 per cent of the Dominion market for those manufactures in which Birmingham is interested. The Lesson of Staffordshire. The Staffordshire campaign has already brought new trade to New Zealand. Speaking at the prize-giving for competitions among local traders Mr H. E. Davis (London manager oJ the Dairy Board) said that 168 Staffordshire grocers had held displays oi Dominion dairy produce, and that or ders .from the Potteries had already increased to a remarkable degree. A spocial feature of the Staffordshire exhibition was a “working map” oi New Zealand, which greatly interested parties of school children who came with their teachers to Inspect the display. The map, which is 13 feet long, is set in water, with model ships plying to and from its shores—some bound for England, with New Zealand food produots; others laden with British manufactures for the Dominion New Zealand's chief cities and industries are indicated by a system of elec trio lights, while photographic views, which are illuminated simultaneously overhead, illustrate everyday life in {own and ’country. The map wil. again be on view in Birmingham

Britain Imports Leas Butter, Britain’s butter imports .for the first half of this year have declined by 316,000 cwts., or 6 per cent, compared with the corresponding period of 1934, according to the Board of Trade returns published yesterday. Germany is now talcing more butter from European countries, and with the exception of Holland, Continental exports to Britain have correspondingly declined. New Zealand, too, sent 167,000 cwts. less to Britain, but Australia, which is now a shade ahead of New Zealand as 'Britain’s biggest butter supplier, sent ISthOOQ cwts. more' South Africa and the Irish Free State show slight Increases English Farmers Organise, The drop in imports does not mean however, that Britain’s butter .consumption is necessarily decreasing The Government’s plans for the development of the home dairying industry, and the institution of a national mark for first quality produce have given a great stimulus to the production and consumption of English butter, particularly of “creamery" • or factory brands. Up-to-date butter factories, organised on the Danish plan, with the most modern machinery, are being erected in all parts' of the country. Many of these are run on co-operative lines, and the .Milk Marketing Board, which only a few months age appeared to view the development of a home butler factory system as uneconomical, is now planning the establishment of a model plant, cither in Wales or the West of England. ' The present market price of English "creamery” butter is Is a lb, or 2d a lb more than the average price for New Zoaland butter.

This development may, in the long run, he of benefit to Dominion producers, for the organisation of the home dairying industry offers a more practical basis for co-operation between English and Empire farmers in •the allocation of the British market. The advisability of such a policy has already impressed itself on the National Farmers’ Union, as mentioned in our last month's review. Change in British Diet. Further evidence of the decline in the 'British consumption of margarine, and the rise in butter 'consumption, is given in this week’s issue of the Grocer, a leading provision trade journal. A prominent multiple store company reports that its sales of margarine have fallen 50 por cent, whereas its sales of butter, in spite of the recent advance in price, were about 60 per cent above normal for the time of the year. The company’s view is that margarine, owing to the low price set.by the manufacturers in an attempt to regain their trade, has ‘‘lost caste” with 1 tie public, “as they cannot conceive that a really good, edible product can be manufactured and ’sold at 3d a lii.” There is every reason to believe, indeed, that, with the active educational propaganda which is being carried out on all sides for the consumption of milk and milk foods of recognised quality, the British consumption of dairy produce of both Home and Dominion manufacture will continue to increase.