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Hokitika Guardian, 24 January 1933, Page 4

Imports of butter into Britain last year did not reach the estimate of 450,(XD touts., but the tactual) total of 422,000 tons was an increase of no lees than 19,C00 tons. Allowing for the small addition to stocks and for re-exports the returns show that consumption of imported butter reached the remarkable record of 400,000 tons, an increase of 22,000 tons. Theeo figures are cctossil when compared wjtli tho.-ie of 10 years ago, when the total import was only 188.781 tons. There was a sharp rise to 277,Bb9 ‘ons n 1025, a total that was not exceeded moil 1.9'0. Hie three great suppbers are Domna: k, N'ew Zealand and .Australia, the e countries "accounting for nearly 80 per cent, of I he 1902 total. The New Zealand surpirlies have steadily increased from 78,594 tons in 1900, to 90.7'i0 te-s the following year and 109,517 lons last year. But Aostraii., has achieved the greatest expansion in the da tv industiy, he: 1 d-divorms fo'' the I id three years having been 47,577, 77,901 and 91,402 tons. Yet British consumption ha- practically kept pace with the expanding output. It rose from under llib. pot; head jn 1924 to

over 201 b. in 1931, and is still growing. Lower prices have made this possible, but these lower prices have been tlio natural and inevitable conteque/ice of heavy -supplies. Thus the expansion in m eduction has created its own am.vumpfive market. A sadden drop in output would bring about a rif.ei in the price level, hut every

point of increase Wuti'cl tend to leluco consumption. This is the market situation and until fresh outlets appear through revival on the Continent or the creation of a demand in the East, the- dairy industry is bound to adjust itself to a return in the vicinity of the present scale. From the v-afoir'l standpoint the increase in production of about 20 per cent, lias largely compensated for the fall in prices, though part of it has been at the expense of other forms of primary production. Tli© individual who ha-s suffered least is the farmer who by l etter management- has increased hjs production without adding to his overhead.