DAIRY SUPPLIES

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 82, 4 October 1938, Page 14

DAIRY SUPPLIES

BRITISH IMPORTS

NEW ZEALAND RECORD

The United Kingdom's imports of j New Zealand butter reached record figures last year, according to "Dairy I Produce Supplies in 1937," a review just published by the Imperial. Economic Committee. Larger quantities of New Zealand cheese also were imported, while imports of processed milks and frozen pork were fully maintained. For butter, cheese, and frozen pork New Zealand was again by far the most important source of supplies destined for the United Kingdom market. Rising, prices for dairy produce were reflected in an increase in the value of the United Kingdom's imports of these commodities last year. The total cost of dairy produce, pig, and poultry pro-1 ducts imported during the year was £117,000,000, or £9,000,000 more than in the preceding year, following an increase of £8,000,000 between 1935 and 1936. IMPORTANT FACTORS. j In this connection several factors were of importance during 1937. In Europe unfavourable weather and the incidence of foot-and-mouth disease affected production to a considerable extent and importing countries in certain cases relaxed restrictions on imports; in the Southern Hemisphere a second unfavourable season in Australia more than offset a further expan- i sion in exports from New Zealand.; There was also a considerable reduc- j tion in the United Kingdom output of butter, cheese, eggs, and bacon, a movement no doubt in part due to the high price of feeding stuffs. From the point of view of demand, conditions i were somewhat variable, for pur-1 chasing power continued to increase early in 1937 but suffered a setback towards the end of the year; at this time a sharp increase in the price of butter was followed by a marked fall in its consumption. The United Kingdom remained last year by far the most important mar- j ket for dairy produce and allied products, but took a rather smaller proportion of world imports of butter and eggs, although slightly increasing its share of cheese. Recent years had witnessed an increase in the proportion of the United Kingdom's imports of dairy produce supplied by Empire countries but this was checked for some of the chief commodities in 1936 and a further reduction, although in most cases small, was recorded last year. REDUCED CONSUMPTION. Imports of butter into the United Kingdom in 1937, amounting to 9,416,000cwt. valued at £47,400,000, were the smallest in any year since 1933. Imports from Empire countries comprised 52 per cent, of gross imports as against 53 per cent, in 1936 and 57 per cent, in 1935. Imports from Australia declined by 12 per I cent. Prices were for the greater ipart of the year above the 1936 level. The apparent consumption of butter is estimated at 24.81b per head as against 25.01b in 1936, but on the other hand margarine consumption rose from 8.61b per head in 193G to 8.91b last year. The United Kingdom's imports of cheese had declined in 1935 and 1936, but recovered in 1937, when a total of 2,937,000cwt was imported. Empire supplies were 8 per cent, heavier than in 1936, larger quantities . being received from both New Zealand and Canada. The home production of cheese had declined appreciably in 1936. and there was an even greater reduction in 1937, so that in spite of the heavier imports, per head consumption fell to B.Blb as against 9.01b in the previous year.