THE BUTTER BUSINESS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 274, 11 April 1913, Page 7

THE BUTTER BUSINESS.

MAKOARIISM] TRADE GROWIXO. Writing from London nnder date February 28,' tlu; correspondent of a Sydney { paper says:— There arc. still numerous complaints regarding the quality of Australian butter, a large proportion of it being of secondary quality. Unfortunately, the price suffers more in proportion than it would do if the market were better. But margarine has now improved to such a position that inferior quality Australian butter is not able to compete with clean-flavored margarine, which is free j from the objectionable flavors to which inferior butter is subject. This is a handicap to the latter. And it opens it serious prospect for the Australian butter industry; for unless producers can put on the market the bulk of their butter in a nnieli better condition than it has come this year, margarine will hold the field against it. What is happening is that the buyer says, "1 would rather have sweet margarine than rancid or bad-flavored butter." And that is one reason why, during the last year, margarine has made such progress. Margarine manufacturers never tire of emphasising the statement that the food value of their product is as 100 to 102 of butter, urging at the same time that the extra two points are but a concession to butter prejudices. They point, too, to the better keeping qualities of margarine, and never let an opportunity slip of advising grocers and provision dealers to make tasteful displays of it. This advice is being followed. Is it to be wondered at, then, that the British working man's wife, with, say, but £1 a week to spend in housekeeping—an overestimate in hundreds of thousands of eases—and with half-a-dozen, or more, hungry mouths to fill, takes 21b of margarine for Is in preference to paying Is 2d to Is 4d for alb of butter? The palates of the margarine consumers are not delicate, and the article appeals stronglv to owners of ill-lined purses. I make no excuse for once more drawing attention to the rapid growth in the consumption of margarine, and mixtures made for vegetable neutral fats, which are really imitation margarine. For it is a serious thing for Australian producers, particularly when, as is the case this vcar. there is general expression of opinion that Australian butter as a whole is deteriorating in quality. Another serious aspect of this question, which should make Australian producers think, is the widening difference in price between Australian and Sow Zealand butter. Here, (h's v»rv week, we have New Zealand unsnltcd up to 122s per ewt... with Australia's top price (Is below that. Why? T will not labor any point, as lo grading or not grading. I will leave Australians themselves to answer. But as there is an old colonial saving that "money talks." T would point out that (is per ewt is ,CG per ton: and that, on an export of, s.iv, 20.01)0 tons, this difference means a loss of £120,000. And when to this is added losses, as in this rear, through short shipments, for which, of I course, Australia is not responsible, the loss becomes stupendous.