New Zealand’s Competitors

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 176, 15 October 1927, Page 18 (Supplement)

New Zealand’s Competitors

On World’s Markets

Increasing Effort Needed

TO-DAY New Zealand’s dairy produce is well to tlie fore on the English market. For quality and quantity it holds a high place. Yet, to hold this position, will tax the ingenuity and enterprise of its people. Many other countries are battling for pride of place.

from foreign countries is increasing on the London market. For the season ended, June 30. 1927, according to Weddel’s review, out of the 261,597 tons of butter imported into Great Britain, 34.3 per cent, came from British sources, compared with 39 per cent, in the preceding year. Denmark, Holland and the Baltic countries were the principal suppliers. In view of this state of affairs interesting facts concerning the operations of the exporting countries are contained in the review. Imports of New Zealand butter into Great Britain during the period registered a pleasing increase, being 56,534 tons, as compared with 51,138 tons for the previous year. Receipts of cheese amounted to 78,673 tons compared with 66,953 tons for the previous year. The greatest portion of both cheese and butter make was graded finest. Australian Activities Australia, owing to dry weather, registered a considerable decline on the quantity shipped during the two previous years. The total quantity sent to Britain over the year was 30,216 tons of butter, compared with 40,454

tons for the previous 12 months, and 1,229 tons of cheese compared with 2,875 tons. The Australian stabilisation scheme, commonly known in this country as the Paterson scheme, is estimated to have returned to the producers nearly £2,000,000. One of the unforseen effects of the scheme, however, was the increased importations of butter into the country owing to inflated local prices. In that country attention is being paid to an endeavour to improve both the quality and the marketing of the product. Attention is being given at the present time to tl*e advisability of exporting a portion of the surplus in lib pats. Canada’s Efforts Canada, with increasing milk supplies, finds a ready market for her butter in U.S.A., and in the Home trade. Even though the past season was an excellent one, importations into England from Canada were down — 49,823 tons of cheese found outlet on the English market, compared with 61,863 tons for the previous year. The figures for butter registered a considerably greater proportionate decrease, being 3,013 tons compared with 8,063 tons for the previous year. Actually for the period Canada produced 78,863 tons of butter, compared with 75,667 tons for the previous year, and 74,252 tons of cheese, compared with 79,080 tons for the previous season. Argentine’s Record Year Importations of butter into Great Britain from the Argentine amounting to 26,498 tons with the exception of the year 1924, were the heaviest on record. A strong movement is afoot in that country to tighten up on the

Some kinds of seaweeds contain as much nitrogen as farmyard manure—although in a more slowly acting form and more potash, but rather less phosphates. For this latter reason a phosphatic fertiliser should be added when seaweed Is to be used to replace farmvard manure. It should be put straight on to the land, or else mixed with dung, or other substance, which will absorb the products of its decomposition, and thus conserve its value. It would seem, in view of the above facts, that even in Mew Zealand there are great possibilities in the idea. Certainly around our coasts seaweed is to be found in large quantities. It only requires some economical method of transporting it tc the farm to make it an attractive proposition to the farmer.

quality of the butter exported, and the suggestion that Government grading be instituted is receiving considerable support. The recent improvement which lias already taken place in the quality of Argentine butter has largely been due to the installation of modern machinery, and to the introduction of neutralisation and pasteurisation of cream. More attention is being paid in that country also to the marketing of the butter. All effort is concentrated on placing it on the London market in regular shipments, fresh from the factories. Denmark’s Huge Returns Shipments of Danish butter into England during the past year constituted a record, being 97,795 tons, compared with 89,732 tons for the previous year. This increase was partly due to the favourable climatic conditions and to the fact that the demand from Germany decreased. Siberia sent 12,274 tons of butter into the United Kingdom over the period compared with 14,148 tons for the previous year. Unfavourable climatic conditions are given as respon-

sible for the decrease. During the past decade there has been a marked improvement in the quality of the butter exported, and it is now possible to buy Siberian butter according to grade with a reasonable chance of getting a product of uniform quality, colour and texture within a particular grade. Butter from the Baltic Finland is another country whose exports of butter are improving in regard to both quality and quantity. Last year 10,006 tons of butter from that country found its way to English shores. In Latvia, with 690 factories operating mostly on co-operative lines, an increase in production of 46 per cent, was registered. During the period under review 201,703 casks were exported, 78 per cent, going to Germany and per cent, to the United Kingdom. Since 1921 the annual export of butter from Estonia has increased from 200 tons to 9,000 in 1926. England absorbed 33 per cent, of last year’s surplus. Swedish butter also finds a ready market in London in competition with Danish, and during the period under review, 8,998 tons was placed on the English markets. With such a line of eager and everpressing competitors, all near to tlie central market, it can be seen that New Zealand’s job to keep her produce to the forefront is no light one. In fact, it will only be by increased production, and still more production, combined with close attention to quality and marketing, that this country can hope to increase its income from butter and cheese at a rate similar to that which has been registered during the past decade.