A GREAT MARKET

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 393, 30 November 1932, Page 2

A GREAT MARKET

BRITAIN'S IMPORTS OF BUTTER DOUBLED IN TEN YEARS. Great Britain's remarkable consumptive capacity is strikingly illustrated in the figures given in the review of the butter market for the year ended June 30, 1932, just published by W. Weddel and Company, Ltd. Total imports from all sources for the 12 months amounted to 412,863 tons, as compared with 360,254 tons in 1930/31, an increase of 52,609 tons, or 14.6 per cent. In the last ten years the imports of butter into Great Britain have mere than doubled. No wonder prices have fallen to the lowest level for nearly 40 years, remarks the review. The wonder is that this vast quantity cf butter, in addition to the comparatively insignificant Home make, can be absorbed into the trade and consumed in the present economic state of the country. This was only possible by reducing the retail price of butter to a point where it came into strong competition with margarine. With first-elass butter selling on the counter at ls a 1b the sale of margarine during thq last year must have declined seriously. Empire Sources. Out of the total imports of butter last year, 209,815 tons, or 50 per cent. eame from British Empire sources, as compared with 48.5 per cent. in 193031. In spite of steady progress in butter export by Denmark, .and to a smaller extent by other foreign countries, supplies of Dominion butter still maintain their relative position in this market. Australia has made enormous strides in recent years, and her total of 80,981 tons shipped last year is 30 per cent. more than the previous year's total, and nearly double the quantity received in 192930. New Zealand's total was also a record one, amounting to 103,427 tons, against 87,493 tons in 1930-31, an increase of 15,934 tons, or 18.2 per cent., but this increase was achieved partly at the expense of cheese production, which showed a drop of 11,120 tons. N From Canada and South Africa larger quantities were received, but shipments from the Irish Free State v/ere smaller. Foreign supplies at 204,048 tons were 18,464 tons (10 per cent.) heavier than in, 1930-31. Danish butter was more plentiful at 125,698 tons, but arrivals from the Argentine Republic amounting to 19,554 tons show a drop of 1804 tons. Shipments from Sweden and Holland were slightly reduced, but heavier supplies were received from Estonia and Latvia.