SYNTHETIC CREAM.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3955, 13 June 1929, Page 1

SYNTHETIC CREAM.

.MARKET IN ENGLAND,

An instance of how the overseas -producer j. is affecting the British ■cream industry was given at the annual meeting of the Buxton and High Peak Farmers’ Union, by the secretary. He said a student from one of the agricultural colleges started a cream factory in Derbyshire. He spent £450 on plant, had bis own cows and was 'making such headway that lie had to obtain supplies of milk from neighbouring farmers. There was a growing demand for liis cream from 'finest Derbyshire milk at 16/- a gallon. Then suddenly his business began to fall off and upon investigation from the dealers he found they were being supplied with cream n,t 13/- a gallon by a firm who were making up synthetic creams and ieconstituting imported stuff and selling it to the public.

The British farmer who sold genuine ere'atn was subject ‘to restrictions, but the factories where those foreign cream compound were made up were under no supervision, and were not visited by inspectors. They ware cutting cream prices to such an extent that British farmers who specialised in this branch of the industry could not compete. “Eighty thousand tons of condensed skimmed milllc, mainly foreign, is coining into this country every month,” said the secretary. “It seems a shame that we> aire jn’pducing such good milk and cream in England, and that British farmers should have t-o comply with such rigid restrictions, which seriously handicap them in competing with lhe foreigner who cuts the prices. “A .Bill dealing with synthetic cream has been read a second time in the House, but it has been so chopped about that it will be practically of little use to British agriculture. Tinned milk is not worth the tin that it is put in, and yet tiie British public buy it because it is cheap and handy.” The meeting protested strongly against the unrestricted importation of foreign cream compounds.