THE LOCAL MARKET

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 132, 1 December 1938, Page 10

THE LOCAL MARKET

INCREASE OF 2D A LB

MAINTAINING EXPORT PARITY

GOVERNMENT'S DECISION

Consumers of butter in New Zealand will have to pay 2d a pound more for the commodity, an increase in the price of butter sold on the local market to bring it into line with export parity having been announced last night by the" Minister of Marketing (the Hon. W. Nash). He said that in accordance with the procedure to ensure a like return to the dairy farmer for butter sold on the local market as was realised by the sale of butter to the Government for export, the price of first-grade patted creamery butter to shopkeepers would be Is 4Jd a pound as from today. There would be corresponding adjustments for other grades, of butter. "This price," said the Minister, "will ensure the actual recovery from the consumer by the Department of the amount paid to the dairy-farmer in accord with the price guaranteed for the current season. The allowance to the wholesaler for distribution will remain the same.'.' The Gazette notice fixing these prices will be issued this evening. EFFECT OF INCREASE. The Is 4|d a pound for first grade patted creamery butter supplied to shopkeepers represents an increase of 2d a pound on the wholesale price previously ruling. The old and new | prices, and the corresponding adjustments for the other grades are given in the following table; — New Old price, price First-grade patted creamery butter 1/4$ 1/2| Second - grade patted creamery butter .. 1/4J 1/2J Whey butter 1/3J- 1/1£ Unsalted butter still remains hd a pound dearer than salted butter. Bulk butter will be Is 8d below pats in all grades; this is the same margin as existed before the present adjustment. The allowance to the licensed wholesale distributor remains at £d a poundSeveral weeks ago-authority was taken by the Government to ascertain the amount of butter cool-stored for the local market as a preliminary to the adjustments now made.