MARKETING BUTTER

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 39, 2 March 1937, Page 3

MARKETING BUTTER

-Press Association.)

New Policy Best, Says Prolessor w. Riddett trade c0nfident

(By Telearaph—

PALMERSTON N., This Day. Opportunity was taken by Professor W. Riddet, Director of the Dairy Research Iqstitute at Massey College, when addressing Palmerston North Ro'tarians ye&terday to reply to recent cabled eriticisms of the New Zealand butter marketing scheme m relation to ;price. Professor Riddet returned a few Idays ago from market investigations [abroad. "Those who are selling our butter in .England to-day are entirely satisfiest .with the marketing eonditions now operating," he declared. "They got itired — and more than tired — with some of the practices followed before. An jimportant figure in the industry, a man Iwho was previously an extensive importer of New Zealand butter f.o.b., 'told me that New Zealand could not but jSuffer by any policy of mixing consignment with f.o.b. delivery, They are. distinct. marketing policies, and one' suffers at the expense of the other. "As it is now, distributors of New Zealand butter are supplied with one or' two particular brands daily, weekly,; monthly. They are thus able to build j up a trade on a basis of consistency not; . alwavs •Dossibla before.

4 'There is a market for differenti ; types of butter within the United King-j idom. New Zealand butter has been in. heavy supply this season owing .to good iproducing eonditions, and naturally this has meant a recent easing in price. On the Continent, on the other hand, there ,has been a dry season, and this more ■than any thing else accounts for the iappreciation in price just now enjoyed. ■by Continental suppliers. "Speculation in our butter is no.t to, the advantage of New Zealand, although it is often claimed that this strengthensj the market. Time shows there is no; reason to believe that. Sometimes un-. ,der speculative eonditions, a parcel of ibutter uay be passed from one agent to another, and vet. is never put actually on the market. Meanwhile it is going stale in the stores. Speculation

is unaertaicen m tne knowledge that New Zealand butter has a reputation for keeping fresh, but when after speculative delays the parcel finally gets to the consumers, it is the New Zealand producer who has to carry the responsibility for loss of quality and possible staleness. We should get it on the market as soon as possible. "I would say again that the marketing policy of New Zealand has improved the position in London, and our marketing offic'ers enjoy the confidence and rej spect of those in the trade," declared | Professor Riddet. He added that the low prices to which our produce fell in 1934 had been a great blessing to New Zealand. People who had not previously eaten New Zealand butter did so in that year, to the exciusion of margarine or other ruttjrs, and in many cases had eaten New Zealand butter M M* A