BUTTER MARKET

Hokitika Guardian, 22 January 1931, Page 2

BUTTER MARKET

AN ADVANTAGE' OE LOW PRICES'.

LONDON, .December 9.

According to official returns the total imports of butter into the country during the last ten months of the present year totalled 5,706,521 cwt., against 0,422,11Gcwt in the corresponding period of last year, and 5,237,140 cut in .lanuary-October, 1928. Much increased quantities have been received from iNew Zealand, Australia, and Denmark, and these mainly accounted for the expansion in arrivals. Butter quotations at present, in sympathy with those of almost all kinds of produce, are considerably lower than at the corresponding time last yeAr. The consumption of butter has been greatly increased within recent months* by the low price ruling. This is proved by the very large reduction in the stocks held in cold store. The total quantity of butter in store in this country which o™ July 12 amounted to 1.188,391 boxes, had by November lo been reduced to 438,361 boxes. It is very satisfactory (says the Grocer) to record that Colonial buttei of late has received most attention, from buyers, which was only to ho expected, because the article has been offered at such reasonable values compared with Danish.

GERMAN IMPORT DUTY

The liighet import duty on butter into Germany, amounting to 50 marks per 100 k.g. (about 25s per ewt), came into operation as from November 27. Previous to that date, rather large quantities of colonial new season’s butter bad been, shipped to Germany, winch country had also imported freely from other Continental sources of supply. On account- of the large supply of colonial butter available and coming forward, this particular description more or less dominates tbe market at present. Danish butter hitherto had the dominating sale in the Midlands, the North of England and Scotland, but the- present abundant supply and cheapness of colonial have considerably increased the sale of the latter in those districts. So long as' plentiful supplies are forthcoming and prices at their present low range, colonial butter should he sure of a ready outlet. Tin’s is the time to push Empire goods, when prices for such are low and other imported descriptions are quoted at- a much higher level.

R JfiCORD J M PORTATI ON

In this connection it is Interesting to learn that the greatest butter fleets ever despatched from the dominion will arrive at English and Scottish ports during December, January amf February, They will bring from the dairy farms of the Empire a weekly average of 4500 tons, or over 10,000,0001 b. This is the biggest output ever readied bv Empire producers, and it represents a triumph of modern methods of production. Much of the butter comes front land upon which thousands lof ex-soldiers of the Homeland nnc: the dominions were settled after the war. I he main sources of these nnpi re supplies are, of course, New Zealand and Australia, Irish butter uerng practically till required to supply the needs of the Free State, owing to the sudden imposition of a tax of £5 per ewt. on ali butter entering that country. But butter is also pouring in from foreign countries, and the Em- > l'ire producers have to face the fiercest competition ever experieneeod. Empire butfer lias been extnsively sold In London for the first time since the Great War at from Ls to Is 3d per lb, and though the opportunity of buying choice butters from the sunny pastur es of the Empire at such prices has led to a big increase in demand, there is 1 every prospect that, with over a pound of Empire butter arriving weekly for ■ every family in England. Wales and Scotland, butter will be in ample supply throughout the winter.