LOCALLY SOLD CHEESE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1014, 2 January 1911, Page 8

LOCALLY SOLD CHEESE.

IMMATURE WHEN MARKETED. • AN IMPORTANT MATTER. " There .appears to be one outstanding, means of improving the markets 'for cheese. The chief improvement would, bo in the local market. The point is that the cheese sold locally is frequently too green. . If well ripened cheese were marketed tho demand for this particular articlo of diet would probably considerably increase. The'means of bringing about a state, of things by which there will be an improved market and a better article seem to lie with the producers and wholesalers. If the dairy companies and the wholesale firms held the cheese until, it was thoroughly, ripened and thus prevented any green cheese going into tho shops .this object could be attained. . One,has. to realise the food valuo.of cheese to' appreciate' the importance of this to the public. One pound of cheeso contains m'oro nutriment than'two pounds of sirloin beef. But bcrauss it is not sold in its most nalatable (.tate, and bccauso it is often sold in a very indigestible state, it is not ,ill nearly such common use as. it otherwise .would be. Cheeso has become to a great extent ono of the chief articles of food used by the workmen of England, and if its value in its ripe state was realised such would probably be the case hero. It was a full appreciation of the importance of marketing only cheese which was in a thoroughly, suitable food state which led the present Dairy Commissioner (Mr. 1). Cuddie) to secure an, important alteration in the conditions under which the produce is carried from New Zealand to England. As a result of his visit to tho English markets in H S OS, Mr. Cuddio became convinced that the cheese should be carried at a higher temperature than was tho practice. Consequently lie recommended raising the temperature from a range of 45-50 degrees to 55-60 degrees, for the shipments leaving up to the end of January. The "-matter was placed before the National Dairy Association, by.whom the contracts for the shipping of the produce were arranged.

'Mr.' Cuddic reported oir the subject after'his return, and' his observations were recorded in the annual publication of the Agricultural • Department. "Briefly," said Mr. Cuddie, "tho principal reason for the change was the. fact" that a very large quantity of- oiir ; cheese Was found to bo arriving on the Home markets during the months of December, January, and February in an immature condition.- Complaints from the buyers were numerous, and a good deal of dissatisfaction existed amongst tho trado on account of the cheese being too green or immature. . . . Provided the cheeso were being held, longer, in JTciv.eZealand before shipment; the of it at a higher temperature'lwould not be ! so necessary or -deiirnbln; but the■ nrhetice- of shipping qutyiie eheese ; atifrom.'tenUo fifteen days', ; 6ld,«jlhd often :ihs;x had - become so prevalent, and bad caused' so much dissatisfaction to those handling tho produce, that some means cf improving the position -was imperative. . . . I was confident, that tho change would allpw tho ripening process to develop in consignments . that. were sent away rfjom th 6 ajjiijKj a stage. ... The only 'effifptldn that can be taken to the' alteration of the temperature of the cheese-chambers is the question of a slight increase in the shrink-, .age ,of the cheeso. when carried at a higher temperature, " It -is fully expected, howj ever, that any loss-in this dirqstion will be more than made up by the enhanced value of the produce, to say nothing of its condition being more satisfactory to the_ majority of the British buyers." The New Zealand Produce .Commissioner in London (Mr. 11. C. Camorori) watched the matter at the other end. He reported that'the result 6f the first shipment was highly satisfactory, and that the quality was 'a great improvement. The theeJe > had not the unripe appearance, .but', .was .matured Tto'H'-iinich was in far better order for being placed on the market;''for immediate'sale; "After' a later shipment, .Mr'.' Cameron wrote that the cheese continued to give satisfaction, and that everywhere tho. opinion was expressed that the shipments that year were a marked improvement on those of previous years. • f When such is the case with cheese which has to go all the way to England, it is easy to understand that it is not a difficult matter for cheese to got on to the local markets in an immature condition. And it is a fact that much of it-does.