HIGHEST QUALITY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 135, 8 May 1940, Page 6

HIGHEST QUALITY

ESSENTIAL IN PRODUCE. HOLDING BUTTER’S PLACE Repercussions of the war on the demand in England for New Zealand butter wore referred to by Professor AV. Riddet, Director of the Dairy Research Institute, in speaking at the opening, yesterday of the dairy factory managers’ gathering at the institute. Professor Riddet outlined that sacrifices would be necessary, but if these led to victory, then they were worth while, and he urged that the highest quality be maintained. , Professor Riddet said he could not speak of the work of the institute during the past year without referring to the dreadful change which had overcome the Dominion since the meeting a year ago. So far we had seen little of the effect of the war in New Zealand, but enough to make us realise that great sacrifices would be necessary, both in effort and- financially. It these were made in a good cause and led to victory and the establishment of principles for which we were fighting, then they would be worth while. Factory managers would have to recognise that their staffs would be depleted, be said, so that one of the problems facing them would be carrying on, and carrying on well, with the staffs available. One need was' to maintain the total volume of production, because Great Britain would call on the Dominion to a greater extent for dairy produce. Already she had done so for cheese supplies, but what the position would he in the future as to butter was largely unknown. AA r e knew that, owing to Germany’s occupation of Denmark and Norway, Great Britain’s supply of butter had-been reduced by 200,000 tons annually. AVhether she would want an additional similar amount from elsewhere was not yet known, but at least she would want some. RESISTING SUBSTITUTES.

If we did not pay particular attention to quality, as well as quantity, butter substitutes would gain favour in the English markets, said Professor Itiddet. Margarine was being supplied to-day, and this was a very different product from the margarine of. the Great War. We knew that the peoples of countries which had to consume margarine in that period suffered dietetically. Now. the margarine was vitaminised, and was a good product which could scarcely be recognised from butter. If this margarine became well established in the households at Home we might have difficulty, later, in persuading the consumers that butter was better. It therefore behoved those dealing with the butter in New Zealand to see that, as far as possible, there was maintained both quantity and quality. It was necessary that the product supplied should be above reproach, and one that the customer would not regret buying. It was not known what conditions the butter would have to undergo now both in regard to storage on board shin and in distribution. Therefore, it had to be ensured, that, despite lack of ideal conditions, it would still be an edible product. In regard to cheese, even before the war New . Zealand and Canada provided. 90 per cent, of the cheese imported into Great Britain, the speaker continued. Therefore the other 10 per cent, would not be as difficult a matter to make up as the deficiency in the supply of butter.