DAIRY PRODUCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 April 1920, Page 5

DAIRY PRODUCE.

MARKET PROSPECTS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, April 26Captain W, R. Birks, A.1.F., who is at present in Wellington, is returning to Aew .South Wales, where he is in the service of the Department of Agrieuiture, after a visit to Holland, Denmark, Canada and the United State*. He has some interesting tilings to say about the prospects of the dairy produce market in Britain. ' t The Danish output of butter and cheese, says Captain Birk<s, is not going to return to the pre-war level. It feU off very much during the years of th« war, and lie was informed while he wag touring Denmark that the farmers were not going to revive it on the old Scale. Their decision is of considerable Importance to New Zealand. The Danes are increasing their output of dried milk and fondensod milk. They are undertaking the growing of seeds on a very large scale and are finding this industry particularly profitable. Cocksfoot is one of the crops they arc growing for seed purposes. The European supply of seeds of all sorts is far below requirements, and the Danish growers are finding that carrot and cabbage, for example, when grown for seed, give a far greater return than dairy cattle can do. Captain Birks was told that the Danes are planning to send fresh milk to Britain, and particularly to London, on a very large scale. They have experimented with methods of preserving thq niilk without altering its normal qualities, and they have met with much success. One process of sterilising the milk by heat while under pressure is stated to make possible the transport of fresh milk over long distance#. Cans have been opened after a month and the contents have been found to be sweet. It is doubtful if this sterilised milk is sifitablc for the feeding of infants, but it serves for other household purposes. Naturally the more milk the Danes sell the less butter and cheese they will have to export. Captain Birks believes that the prices of dairy produce are bound to remain high for many years to come.