PROFITS IN CHEESE.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 September 1918, Page 3

PROFITS IN CHEESE.

THE DOMINIONS DAIRY POSITION. WHERE BUTTER STANDS. What are the British Food Control-' ler's intentions with regard to New Zealand's butter and cheese output for the; 1917-1S season? Dairy farmers are anxious to know, and to know early, I especially as the milk flow lias begun. Up to the time of writing no word had come through that could be taken as an answer to the question (says the Wellington Post). What lias been cabled is that "Welsh colliers have threatened to strike unless their cheese and butter rations are increased; likewise, they demand more jam. It is quite clear that the British Government will require the cheese now being made in this country, and to be made to the end of the manufacturing season; it is also clear that there is a very large accumulation of cheese in the stores which cannot be got away for want of ships. Cheese, requiring a temperature of its own for sea carriage and storage, cannot be squeezed in with meat, like butter. Already the Imperial Government has purchased over £9,000,000 of New Zealand cheese and nearly £3,000,000 of butter, the latter only since November last. About butter it was not keen, but it bought at 157s per cwt. Now farmers want 1965. Mr J. G. Brechin, a member of the Dominion Committee entrusted with the disposal of butter and cheese, does not think the Imperial Government will fall in with farmers' views on the value of butter. He informed a meeting of producers at Pahiatua that ISOs per cwt. will be nearer the Imperial Government's idea of its value. As for cheese, IO.Jd, he thinks, will be the price to be offered the producers. This is 3d per pound more than last season's price; but to be nn a par with the price at which Canadian cheese was sold, viz., lid. the New Zealand producer ought to get 10% d or IOJd. Mr Brechin had got into touch with Mr. Ellison, representative in London of the National Dairy Association, and from him had received by cable the following advice:— ""tlccomitiend factories to make cheese; price will rule high for some years." On this matter being referred to Mr ■ T . G. Darkness, secretary of the National i Dairy Association, he replied: "In the near future the prospects for cheese paying better than butter are assured. I : regard Mr Ellison's views as sound. He is in possession of facts and data from which to form a sound judgment.'-* Mr Brce' in, on this information. ure.es dairy farmers fo plump for cheese: ;-ind moreo;er. when the time conies, to : do their own combined marketing and i elin' : ".".ie middlemen. Tf Mr Brechin's advice is followed — and in view of the high returns to the f;.r,>,,. r f„ r m \]' :< tuned into cheese it is only to be rxpoeled it will be—buttcrirnking will dwindle as '.m industry. But whey buiter. a by-product of cheese manufacture, and inferior to creamery butter, will expand. Last season St c!",ee<e factories iurncd out iisO tons of vbev butter entered for export. In any event butter promises to become scarcer so far a- 1 the faclory-niade article is concerned if a cheese po'icy is pursued, end, if sea veer, dearer. In Denmark, where | butter is the largest primary je- '.in-led iir.d he.niing i'ne price lisf oi" lall butters in the United Kingdom, the ! o:ar.arhie consumption (before the war, 'and certainly ~\\\x its out I'real; I was laraer per head lhan in any other eouni try.