DAIRY PRODUCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 June 1921, Page 8

DAIRY PRODUCE.

IMPROVING THE QUALITY. AN IMPORTANT PROPOSAL. (From Our Special Reporter.) Palmerston N«> June 21. A very important step was taken at the annual meeting of the N.Z. Dairy Association, when a was passed recommending that the standard of first grade butter be increased from a minimum, of more than 88 points to a minimum of more than 90 points. This should have the effect of improving the quality of the New Zealand butter, inasmuch as factories now securing first grade tickets for butter grading 88J, 90 and 90A points will have to improve the quality of that butter if they wish to obtain first grade tickets. The matter was introduced by a notice of motion from the Midhirst Dairy Company, “That in the opinion of this meeting it is desirable that a recommendation should be made to the Department of Agriculture that the time has arrived when it ie desirous that an extra grade should bj given for butter, ensuring 92 points and over to be called ‘Excellent.’ ” The chairman stated that a letter had also been received from-the Pembroke Dairy Company, suggesting that a superfine grade should be created in cheese, all chese grading 91 to 100 to be superfine, 88 to 90 first, 80 to 88 second, and under 80 third grade, but this had ccme in too late for inclusion on the order paper.

Mr. Sangster, in moving the motion, said that this was not a new suggestion, as it had, been before the Department before, when the time was not considered ripe. He considered the time had now arrived when something should be done. The matter should be looked at from a national point of view, and not from the individual factory. They had built up New Zealand’s reputation on quality, and that reputation must be maintained, if not improved. The president had stated that the quality had been maintained during the war. Had there been some system established of payment by grade when the sale to the Imperial Government was effected he felt sure that, instead of the quality being maintained it would have been improved. It had been suggested that raising the standard of second grade from 88 to 90 points would have the desired effect, but this might cause an injustice to back-blocks factories, who were now just over the first grade line. He thought factories grading from 82 to say 96 should get a higher grade. Mr. W. C. Green (Rahotu) seconded. Mr. Sangster agreed to accept the word superfine instead of excellent. Mr. Bassett considered that superfine would become first grade, and what was called first rrade now would be regarded as secom! grade, so that they would not get any higher price for superfine. He believed stiffening up the lower grades would have more effect in improving quality. His company, working over a large area, with cream coming forty or fifty miles over bad roads, had manufactured 1100 tons, and if the second grade had been increased to 90 points, only 140 or 150 cwts. would have been second grade. A factory grading 89 points deserved to be classed second. Mr. Broadbent (Levin) moved as an amendment that only butter grading 90 points and over should be graded first class. Mr. J. B. Marx said that the present system had proved satisfactory, and should be left alone until they had reason to alter it. Mr. M. Nathan considered that there would be an advantage in having a superfine butter. After a year or two, when it became known, they would get a better price for it. He pointed out that certain of his customers always specified certain brands. Moreover, in a depressed market it would have a distinct advantage, as people who had great confidence in the New Zealand graders, would purchase on the name superfine without waiting to see the sample. They had everything to gain and nothing to lose./ They had built up such a name during the past twenty years that they would maintain their present price for first class and get something over for superfine, but it would be necessary first to do some advertising and propaganda.

Mr. Ranford opposed the motion and amendment. He considered the people had the matter in their own hands, mid could sell on the system of so much extra per point above a certain grade. Mr. R. W. D. Robertson considered that if the Government published annually the grade notes of each factory, after a z while the butter would be sold on brand, and not on whether it was first or second grade. Mr. Buchanan (Thames Valley) eaid that it was admitted to-day that New Zealand had the best butter in the world, so why make alteration? Mr. Gibson said that in the north anything marked supefine would always command a higher priw. Mr. Singleton said that in 1911 the question of a superfine brand was discussed, and a resolution passed advocating its use. The reason was that home separator butter had just come into vogue, and it was felt advisable to protect butter made from whole milk against home separator butter that just" got into the first grade. Before carrying this out it was deemed advisable to obtain the views of importers at Home, end the majority were against the pro posal, advocating rather the stiffening up of the second grade points. New Zealand, he said, had ‘to win a place for a lot more of its butter on the English market. During 1920 the imports had been 110,000 tons less, but this had been made up, and 50,000 tons more, by margarine. A high grade butter, however, would always sell well against margarine. He pointed out that only a very small percentage, 3 per cent., of our butter wa» graded second (last year the quantity was 2 per cent.), but 12.4 per cent, were graded 88J points, 89 points or 89’/, points. He knew that a number of factories were quite content so long as their butter was first grade, and did not try to do any better. They should at this juncture consider the ad-

visability of stiffening up the grade, r,o as to make the minimum for first grade over 90. in which case he felt sure they would have those factories mentioned improving the quality pf their .output, so as to get into first grade. That was what they required, because they would be satisfied then that taw were selling all good butter under first grade stamp. Factory managers know that was a percentage of suppliers who, so ’ong as they got their milk good enough be taken in, were satisfied, and the same applied to some factories. The Department were satisfied that raising tjie grade to 90 points would cause these factories to improve the quality, and that was what was required. The general consensus of opinion was that something must be done to make our butter K k .« -

against margarine. With cheese the • position was different, and it would be ~ advisable to try with butter first. I Mr. W. R. Wright considered the » grading should start with the milk, as ’ ft was impossible for a manager to s ’ make first grade butter with second grade milk. He also considered the Maori names used by some brands dee trimental to its sale. K m . Sangster, in reply, said it was une reasona'Je to suppose their butter was better than the Danish when it reached d the London market. Our high grade butter might equal tk* Danish. If mat.ters were left alone the., would find themselves in queer street. The amendment .wm ca-rrle«?