MARGARINE MARKET

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 915, 7 March 1930, Page 10

MARGARINE MARKET

WHAT DOMINION BUTTER FACES SALES FIELD IN BRITAIN The point emphasised to provincial dairy factory managers, in conference in the City yesterday afternoon, by Mr. AY. M. Singleton, director of t*»e dairy division of the Department of Agriculture, was that margarine must be regarded as a serious competitor to New Zealand butter in the United Kingdom. Mr. Singleton recently returned after an official visit to the United Kingdom to investigate dairy produce marketing there. In England 50 per cent, of the population used butter—the other percentage bought margarine. Opinions differed on the provision of aroma in butter. Continental producers had quick transit in their favour in delivering butter with aroma on the market; New Zealand would be faced with the danger of spoliation after the long voyage. The Dominion, however, had undoubtedly entrenched itself in the market. While water content of New Zealand butter was well controlled, salt content would have to be watched more carefully. The trade demanded up to 1.8 content on the average, while some New Zealand butter had been discovered to have a content as low as 0.7. CHEESE COMPARISON New Zealand cheese was more uniform than that of other producing countries. Public taste was leaning toward mild cheese —one result of the consumption of process* on pasteurised cheese. Cheese should not be too hard in texture and should be attractively finished. It should be true to eolou r. The mover of a vote of thanks to Mr. Singleton, Mr. F. J. Nathan, of Palmerston North, mentioned that tariff walls had closed many markets to the Dominion’s dairy produce. More was being sent to Great Britain and it was obvious that trade demands would have to be satisfied. He urged the arranging of a discussion on the subject by shippers, Government officials and representatives of dairy companies. Mr. J. Murray, of New Plymouth, the Dominion secretary to the Dairy Factory Managers’ Association, mentioned that two Taranaki factories had obtained extraordinary over-runs, averaging almost 25 per cent. If those factories could secure such oyer-runs by accepted procedure they should be paid for valuable information, he said. The conference carried a motion in which it was considered that the dairy division should investigate.