THE RURAL WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24415, 28 September 1940, Page 2

THE RURAL WORLD

~ - By RUSTICUS.= =

THE WOOL OUTLOOK IMPROVEMENT RECORDED SUPPLIES FOR AMERICA STOCKS AFTER THE WAR Despite the fact that Dr I. Glumes Ross, who for three years has been the Australian representative on the International Wool Secretariat in London. emphasises the seriousness of the world wool situation, it is difficult to name a raw material of industry having a more assured future. It may be true enough that for the present, and until the end of the war, there may be difficulties in absorbing the whole of the supplies that are produced, although recent signs point to a more increased demand for wool than was expected immediately following the capitulation of Belgium and France. The early requirements of the United States brought about by conscription are estimated to exceed 500i)00 bales, and these requirements will be in addition to the normal needs of the country. There should be also some means of supplying Japan with the wool she needs, and from all accounts the activities of the woollen mills throughout the British Empire are likely to be maintained in full capacity while the war continues. Moreover, any surplus—and it is by no means certain that there will be a surplus—that might accrue will be a very, useful and valuable asset at the termination of the war. Thereafter the future 'of all commodities, as Is the case now. will be in the lap of the gods, but nothing has happened, not even in the field of substitutes, to threaten the popularity of woollen goods among discriminating buyers, as well as the masses in general. Latest cable news suggests that as much as 800,000 bales of this season’s Australian and New Zealand clips will be stored as an emergency measure in the United States. It may be. of course, that the storage idea is to make provision for stocks to be available in America for treatment on account of Britain by American mills in the event of Bradford and other manufacturing centres of the United Kingdom being laid waste by enemy bombing. It is far more likely, however, that Britain has come to terms with America to provide raw wool for U.S. army requirements. ' Storage Stocks

Among people interested in wool production there is much anxious discussion concerning the outlook for wool after the war, says the Australian, Mercantile, Land and Finance Company, Ltd. Statements relating to the probable storage of stocks in Australia have naturally given the impression in some quarters that too much wool is already available for the requirements of Great Britain and other countries which have access to the supplies. In consequence the comfortable feeling created by the purchase on the part of the British Government of the Empire wool output for the duration of the war and a full wool year thereafter has been displaced to some degree by the fear that on the completion of the sale to Great Britain wool may be a drug on the markets of the world. It would be idle to make, any prediction. of course, but there are surely better grounds for long-range confidence in the wool outlook than for pessimistic anticipations. For one thing it is known that in Germany and other European countries the war conditions have enhanced the true merits of wool. As was expected by the experts in Germany, the substitutes are not standing up to the severities of the times. It has been discovered that a surprisingly low percentage of synthetic materials has been used in the clothing equipment of the German Army. Civilians have been obliged to hand over woollen goods, which hava been reconditioned for army needs, and there is great concern in Germany because the end of the wool supplies is in sight. , . , In other words, real wool is one or the precious commodities of Europe today. Its scarcity is giving it a wonderful advertisement. No part of the world had been more wool conscious than Central Europe, and it should not be too much to expect that when the war does come to an end the peoples of Europe will be more eager than ever for wool. . , . In Great Britain more wool is being used at present than ever before. It is the same in America. But with Europe out of the market during the war the increased demand of Britain and America may not be sufficient to absorb all the supplies. Japan, on me other hand, may yet be a factor of importance in helping to absorb surplus supplies, if there be a surplus during the war, and we may yet find that instead of big stocks having accumulated there will be very little war-time grown wool available for the demands of the world at large when peace is declared. It would seem, too, that the British Government entertains no misgivings concerning the post-war outlook for wool. Otherwise this Government could scarcely be expected to add to its already immense commitments for the purchase of wool by acquiring only recently the South African output. THE RAPE CROP SUPPLIES OF SEED SHOULD BE ADEQUATE With the time fast approaching for the sowing of rape crops, many farmers will no doubt be concerned m regard to the availability of sufficient supplies of seed. From information at present available to the department it would appear that if farmers excrcisc reasonable care there is sufficient rape seed in the country for 1940 sowings. , , , The position will be adequately saleguarded ff every farmer will reduce his rate of sowing by four to eight ounces per acre and make any surplus of seed he has in hand available to some other farmer who is not able to obtain suffi&cnt s eed. This small precaution will in no wise affect the stand of rape obtained, particularly as much of the rape seed to be sown this spring is locally-grown certified seed from last season’s harvest, and as such is of the highest germination and vigour, At the same time, it may mean the provision to some other farmer of his full requirements in regard to a rape crop, thus assisting materially to maintain the production of the country. There need be no fear that seed should be conserved against a fear of shortage for sowing in 1941. There are more than 1000 acres of rape, sown specifically for seed production, at present under the supervision-of the Department of Agriculture. Basing yields on the very conservative figure of 6cwt per acre (last year’s average was 9cwt), this area will produce ample seed for one year’s requirements plus a considerable carry-over into the subsequent season. The possibility of a shortage of rape seed exists only for the coming spring, therefore, and farmers can offset oven this possibility by adopting the suggestion made above.

THE “BUTTER FRONT” POSITION IN BRITAIN NEED FOR HIGH QUALITY MARGARINE'S GROWING POPULARITY (From Our Own Correspondent) LONDON, Aug. 2. New Zealand dairy farmers, watching the “ butter front ” in Britain, have at least two causes for satisfaction. Butter is now piaced on an equal footing with margarine in that different margarine brands may no longer be advertised, and for the first time since the war began margarine is rationed. How are these events likely to affect butter, and therefore the New Zealand farmer? There are two theories. One is that the rationing is designed to ease the ample supplies of butter that have accumulated in cold stores during recent months. The other is that it will have the effect of conserving margarine supplies—now assisted by a fleet of Norwegian whalers—so that, if shipping space becomes too restricted, supplies of New Zealand and Australian butter could, if necessary, be temporarily reduced. Aid to Britain? To examine ‘the first theoi-y, it is not at all unlikely that margarine rationing may increase butter consumption. Each person can now buy weekly six ounces of butter or margarine or proportions of both. Two extra ounces of margarine may also be drawn instead of two ounces of lard. This means that as much as eight ounces of margarine may be bought weekly as against a maximum of six ounces of butter. For some months past, however, the butter ration has been not six but four ounces, and there is every reason to suppose that butter-eaters will prefer two extra ounces of butter rather than take any margarine at all. Indeed, this is likely to be the case. On the other hand, those people who normally buy margarine and others who have acquired the palate for it since the war began are quite likely to buy all margarine rather than butter. But at the same time their supplies are now restricted to eight ounces, and it is likely that, if this means a slight saving in the family budget, there may be a swing back to butter by those who have forsaken it since the war began and the price rose so sharply. Undoubtedly, from this angle, the rationing of margarine is a good thing for the butter market. Yet it is not before its time. There is no doubt whatever that the war, from the point of view of the manufacturers of margarine, is the best thing that has happened since the last war. Margarine Boosted Margarine has been extensivelyadvertised, and by the Ministry of Food too. Its consumption has soared. The names of its various brands, have been dinned into the public mind. The prevention of this publicising of individual brands is only fair and reasonable to the butter-seller, since butter may not be advertised, but it has come rather late in the day. The second theory should not be overlooked—that the rationing of margarine will conserve its supply and provide a useful argument that butter supplies from the dominions could,-if necessary, be restricted occasionally to save shipping space. It is in keeping with the drive for the reduction of general imports in favour of armaments. It is true that the ingredients of margarine have also to be imported; but the acquisition of the Norwegian whaling fleet, specially built for hunting whales round Iceland, is of considerable importance to the margarine industry. This fleet of about 15 ships was in the Atlantic at the time of the Nazi invasion of Norway; it no longer supplies its own country, but Britain. Mr Goodfellow’s Point Whatever happens, margarine will emerge from this war in a vastly different guise from that in which it entered. New Zealand farmers must realise that it will provide far greater competition for butter, and if for no other reason than this they must make every effort;' as it was emphasised by Mr W. Goodfellow at the opening of the Waikato Winter Show, to maintain the highest possible quality. This will have • the effect both of butter becoming infinitely more desirable as the war rolls on and will afterwards allow New Zealand to iaunch an immediate “high quality” campaign. There is no doubt that margarine has been very cleverly boosted. Those directing its campaign pound away at the slogan that it is not a substitute for butter, but an alternative—a food on its own. Margarine of the last war and inargarine of this war, they say, are two entirely different things. Today the quality of raw materials is far better and the refining and blending processes have been completely revolutionised. “ Modern ” margarine is said to get its flavour from milk, which is blended with oils. Incidentally, it is always emphasised that these oils “ are largely nourishing oils gathered from the fruits of the British Empire,” including groundnuts, palm kernels, and coconut oil. Whale oil is never—well, hardly ever—mentioned in the publicity brochures. A report of the Nutrition Committee of the British Medical Association is always quoted for figures “which are slightly in favour of margarine.” These state that while in every pound of butter there are .9 grams of protein. 376.5 grams of fat, and 3503 calories, a pound of margarine not only has .9 grains of protein, but 384.7 grams of fat. and that its calorific content is 3579. “ Sunshine ” Vitamins Again, the point is maintained that margarine now contains the two “sunshine vitamins ” —A and D—once boasted only by butter. Eight' years of intensive research, it is said, altered all that. Now the leading brands of inargarine have these vitamins. But that is not all. They give margarine a “ great advantage over butter.” The amount of sunlight varies at different seasons, and therefore the vitamin content of butter varies. On the other hand, the sunshine content in margarine is subject to no weather vagaries, and goes on forever,. This point was cleverly publicised by an M.P. asking in the House of Commons, shortly after the war began, “ Whether standard margarine will be of the quality usually vitamised—that is, with the additions of vitamins A and D, estimated to bring it up to the vitamin value of butter.” The answer was “ Yes, sir.” In a broadcast the Minister of Food declared: “. . . To replace any deficiency in butter we must turn to margarine. . . . The margarine now on sale has the same vitamin qualities as butter. You may call them the ‘sunshine ’ qualities.” “ Butter Doesn’t Much Matter ” The idea of “selling” margarine soon became so general that Sir John Orr, the authority on nutrition, declared : “ If we have plenty of milk and plenty of vitamised margarine, butter doesn’t matter much.” The latest effort to boost margarine is a definite instruction in a Ministry of Information film, “ Food for Thought.” A benign housewife at a “ get together ” talk declares with appropriate emphasis: “And don’t forget, ‘ marg.’ is as good as butter.” This week a paragraph appeared in a Sunday newspaper stating: “How Margarine Became Popular.” It continued: “How advertisements In newspapers helped to awaken public appreciation of good margarine is revealed by the makers of Stork.” It seems the prestige created by advertising and improvements in food value and flavour were proved when margarine was made an essential part of the nation’s wartime fat ration.