BUTTER AND CHEESE.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 19 April 1920, Page 3

BUTTER AND CHEESE.

HOME MARKET. COMPETITION OF MARGARINE, 6000 TONS A WEEK. MR E. ELLISON INTERVIEWED.

An interesting statement with K

gard to the present position and future prospects of the Home market for NewZealand butter and cheese was made by Mr R. Ellison, London representative of the National Dairy Association of New Zealand.

"As regards butter.'' -aid Mr Ellison, "the existing shortage in the Old Country will continue for some considerable tiny;. The fact that Siberian supplies have been cut out of the market is the big factor; and it must be some two or three years before we can figure that Siberia, as a producing country, can have no effect on the mar-

ket, Siberia, however, is not as big a source of supply as Denmark, but the Danish supply itself has I.con decreased owing to the great demand that existed from the Continent and to the loss of

stock. The Danish farmers are reported to have !o~t aboul -J per cent of their cattle: but 1 don', think that that can be looked upon as a total loss. Their herds "have been well culled, due to the fact that th.-y have sold the old stock and got rid of the cows which were not the best milker-, and that ought in the long run to make for a considerable improvement in their ; herds. At the present time, however, the supply from that source '.s very short. The margarine business at Home has grown tremendously during the war. I think that the figure for the output is something like 00'1'J tons a week. The bulk of it is produced in the United Kingdom. In prc-wai times there was :. tremendous amount of margarine imported 'rem Holland, but that has been pretty well cut out. Nevertheless, in spite <>f this great production and consumption of margarine, there is a big demand for batter, becau-e the public have get very tired of margarine. The reason for that is that the standard set by the Government control was somewhat below the standard that was fixed on a free market. Competition had previously kept the standard up. It all came to one dead level .luring the time it was controlled: and the general impression. I think, is that there will be a bigger demand for butter in the future even than in the past. It was thought at one time that people, having been introduce'"! to margarine, would

continue to use it. but that is not going to be the ease. There is. therefore, a very considerable future still for New Zealand butter in the Old Country. "It is more than likely that the Imperial Government "ill be desirous or controlling butter for a considerable time stilt. I note that they are making inquiries as to the terms, if any, en which the New Zealand butter pr°; du.-ers will consent to an extension or the commandeer, out 1 cannot say anything on that point.'' The cheese position has been somewhat eased from the consumers' point of view, because of the very large production of cheese in England, and a!=o the very large increase in the amount of cheese coming from Ire-land. They are not getting so much butter from Ireland at this time of the year. Of course, we have got to bear, in mind that, so far us tfie market- for cheese is concerned, England is practically the onlv country which is an importer of hard dhetee to any extent. I thiak. as regirJs. the quality of New Zealand cheese, it has been somewhat assisted durica the control inasmuch as a lot of the cheese went on to the market in a more mature condition, and the srstem of distribution under the food control allowed of tie cheese being • Uo ,'. u .- ;e d into nans of the country that hitherto ha« rev, r used New Zealand cheese, and in mo-t places i: was received very favourably. _ Even u Quantity ?£ JSSS£ Z'lhZl chee.tt ha: been used; and this wider dbiributioi should have a beneficial effect on tb. 'market for our eheere in future.