THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1534, 2 September 1912, Page 8

THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.

POSITION OF CANADA.

REVIEWED BY DOMINION DAISY COMMISSIONER, During- tho courso of a recent address, Mr. J. A. Kuddick, Dairy and Gold Storage Commissioner to the Canadian Government, had sonic interesting remarks to niako about tho position of Canada in regard to tho world's markets. Mr. Kuddick said:— ,

"Let me draw attention to tho change which is coming over tho Canadian cheese trade as a result of tho increased supply from New Zealand, As the New Zealand season is exactly tlio opposite _to that of the Northern Hemisphere, their cheese begins to arrive in England a littlo after the close of tlio manufacturing season in Canada. Under theso conditions tlio New Zealand cheese supplies, to some extent, tho demand which formerly existed for Canadian cheese during' tho winter months, so there is not now the necessity to storo as much summer-made Canadian cheese for winter use as there formerly was.

"Tho point I wish to emphasise is this: When the quantity of New Zealand cheese becomes large enough to supply the consumptive demand during tho time it comes on tho market, say, from November to June, Canadian chceso will havo to be consumed very largely during the period in which it is produced. _ The effect of this is already felt to a limited extent. Our cheese are needed more than ovor for, immediate consumption. That being the case, they should be well cured before we put them on tho market. They should 1)0 more mature now than was necessary under the old conditions, when ■they were held much longer in storage.

Who Is To Blame? ■ "I need not point out to Canadian cheesemakcrs that our practice in this respect for ( several years past has been . exactly tho reverse of. what.. it .should have been. I am not going into the .question ns to who is to be blamed for tho shipping of green, uncured cheese. Possibly the buyer and' the seller may both be 'to blame. Admitting that thero may be two parties to tho act, and that tho \cheeso producer may shift part of tho responsibility on to tho buyer, it is he, the and ho only who must face tho results and' bear the inc-vitablo loss'. It must ho conceded, also, that ho has the remedy in his own hands. Here is what one of the loading importers-says on this subject in a recent review:—, '"Thero is one thing, however, that might be done to make Canadian cheese moro suitable to our trade during the months of June to September, and that is to delay shipping them until they are more mature. During these months they arrive in far too "green" a condition, and 'thisf, of course, depreciates their value. The reason for shipping them so early is easily understood, but there is no doubt whatever that tho makers have to pay the penalty by realising lower prices than they otherwise would. In July, August, and. September, prices for New Zealand cheese in London are always above thoso obtainable for Canadian, while for the remainder of the year Canadian makes more money , than New Zealand. •' 'Tho sole cause of tho difference in the two articles during these three mouths is tho immaturity of tho Canadian.'

What It Costs. "Tho difference in .price referred to was from half a cent to _ three-quarters of a cent a pound. This is a direct loss, serious enough in itself, but the loss of reputation is even more .serious, Tho saving in shrinkage, which is supposed to be made hy shipping green cheese, is a paltry matter compared with the injury done. 'Moreover, the gain..through saving of shrinkage is an imaginary one, because' the cheese continue to shrink no matter who holds them, and tho loss eventually comes out of the producer. N "The New Zealand cheese cannot .be placed on tho market in the same green condition that much of the Canadian cheese is. Time and distanco stand in the way, for it take at least two months to transfer New Zealand cheese from producer to consumer, and morn often it is nearer three months, r

Cool Curina the Remedy. "New Zealand cheese is practically all cool cured, and it is canned on its long voyages from the Antipodes at a proper curing temperature. It has the further advantage of being landed in cold weather. The natural advantages are undoubtedly on the side of New Zealand. Canadian cheese factories have been sliowu very

plainly how they may, by adopting the cool curing principle, meet this competition on .even terms, and that, too,

without the expenditure of a cent which will' not be repaid inside of two years. "I cannot conceive of a more suicidal policy than to continue to ship these green, immature cheese, which give so much dissatisfaction to bur customers. We are spending thousands of dollars annually to bring tho art of cheese manufacture to the highest possible pitch of perfection. We nullify the good results whioh should and would follow if .we' allowed sufficient time for the full development of those high qualities which the skill of tho cheesemaker has put into his. product. A good'.reputation for quality of product is essential in these days in any line of production. , Ho who neglects it will go to tho wall sooner or later."