BRITISH MARKETS FOR DANES OR DOMINIONS?

Chronicle (Levin), 20 August 1946, Page 7

BRITISH MARKETS FOR DANES OR DOMINIONS?

—Press. Association

By Telegraph-

AUCKLAND, Aug. 19. Travelling in a suite speeially con structed for the Duke and Duchess oi Gloueester on their voyage to Australia fpur New Zealand delegates to tlu International Confercnce of Agricul tural Producers in London, returued oi. the Rimutaka which arrived from Lon don this morning. They were Alr. VV. E, llale, chairmah of the New Zealand Dairy Board and ineniber "o.f the Meut Board, who took part in the nogotia tions with the British Alinistry of Foou which resulted in increased prices for Dominion iiroduce; ' Mr. \V. W. ilul hollaiul, presid.ent of Federated Far iners of New Zealand; Alr. A. B. Cong den, presidcnt of the New Zealanu Fruitgrowers' Federationj and AJr. A II. Ward, Director of Herd Improvo ment, who was associated with Mr llale in the ]>rice negotiations and wht was also techiiical adviscr to the dele gation. Although he appeared pleased with the results of the prico negotiations at which the produccrs were directly rep iCHcnted for the first timo, Mr. llale stiid he wiis duty bound to report to tlic dairy indu.stry before making an\ cominent. H.0 would give a full report on the prico negotiations and intcr natioual conference, to the- New Zea land Dairy Board aunual conference on September 4 and 5. Now was the time for New Zealand to gain the Britisli niarkct before Den mark reached t'ull produetiou, said Mr llale. Denmark's milking cows wero practieally up to pre-war level and niilk ^production was up to 80 pcr cent. of thr level before the war, but the return to the former butterfat production depended on iinported foodstuffs. The Danes were not able to manufacture uny consideralde arnount of nuirgarine Before the war the average amount oi nuirgarine consumed by each Dane was 1(511). annually Ijut today they luid to eat butter instead, thus reducing ex ports. Baltic ,suj)plies to Britain were ctit off. The Danes wero making a bid to re capture their ohl market, added Mr. llale. There was a striking contrast in the food position there and in Britain. Britain was going short of commodities to provide goods including food for export. Goods mude in Britain, uuoblainable in London, could be purchased in Europe. "The Britisli people are tightcning their belts for tlie hardcst food wintei since 1938, " added iMr. Ilnle. Tluconiing winter would be thc worsl period, after which the food position should steadily improve. Kxtra help should l>e given to the Food for Britain campaign. What Mr. Mulholland Learned. "Still strougly in the minds of farmers at honie, is the mcmory of tlie hard ties between two wars and tliey are alipost obsessed with the idea of security, " said Mr. Mulholland. The oliicial policy of the farmers was to bargain with the Gpvernment for ,prieesf.,,.pud hav/e, .,the trpy^nim.e.iiij guarantee those prices. There was some free marketing but tho Govern ment bought inost of the major liue. of produce. The liighly-subsidiset. Britisli faruicr was now doing well am. his attitude to his Government wa. dilTerent from that of tho New Zealaud farmer. The production of vegetable on an enormous scale was a factor ii Britain 's food position. W'hen he lef. Kngland tlie food position was pretl; griiu but u good summer liad given plenty of vegetables which would be come searee iu winter. Bread mad from high extraetion llour was like tii New Zealand home-made loaf in com position, continued Mr. Mulholland. !!• thought Britain \s laek of u bread making research organisatiou such a the Douiinioii enjoyed, aecentuated th poorer quality of the tlour. Ile did no' think the sliortage of bread grain. would be overcome uutil 1 hotl-,') 1 . Twi good harvosts might eateli up with th; grain necds but would by no meun satisfv the demands for animal food and animal produrt ion xnust deeline fur tlier. An onler was being issued i Britain to cut tlie supply of foodstul'f for poultry to one-i welt'lh the normn supply. tSevere fodder ralioning fo milk cows was causing coneern for th supply of suflicieiit milk this winter and pigs were being skiughleml whole sale. Reports that the Germans were com paratively well fed were based 011 oi > servations in the iuiral a.reas where th people appeared as well nourished aIhe Britisli city worker. I11 German, cities the position was desperate. Tlu food-producing arcas were in the Uus sian /oue. Tho agritultural land m tlie Britisli, Anierican and French zom could notisupport tlie populacp even ii there liad been 110 war devastation. "Tho positive achicvenient.s of tlu confererence of farmers from 31 nalion.inav not be verv great but the potcn tiaiities are great iiidoed," said M r Mulholland. A11 interchange of idea. with Britisli farmers before the con ference, liad been verv valuabie tiboth parties.