BUTTER AND CHEESE.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 October 1922, Page 5

BUTTER AND CHEESE.

PROSPECTS APPEAR GOOD. IMPORTS INTO BRITAIN. Tlie prospects for .both butter and cheese appear good, the former selling round about 214 s for finest New Zea.land salted, and cheese averaging about 90s. The strength of the position oi butter is to some extent due to the alterations in countries of supply since the war. Russia, which used to contribute large quantities, is no longer a supplier, although email shipments were received early in August from the Baltic Provinces. The main factor in the situation is the consumptive demand in Britain. Owing to bad trade, unemployment, and. the high cost of living, dairy produce is one of the first food commodities for which the public demand decreases immediately retail prices advance above a certain level. Of course, there is always an outlet for a certain quantity,, whatever the price, but the public, being very sensitive to the retail figure, the demand almost immediately increases or diminishes as retail prices go up or down. With the wholesale price at 2145, or l<s 10|d per lb, the retail price eannnt be mu ’• 'ow‘V Id per lb, and at this price there appears co be .i guoJ v nsunipt V' • m.uiu ui course, those who want cheaper butter have the choice Australian. Argentine, and Irish butters. Should the retai price of New Zealand butter go up to 2s 4d or 2s 6d, the con«-.umption will ■a’! away for thoae in the hfifoit of buying New Z.aland butter will turn to substituted like margarine, and there are other substitutes. New Australian butter must wbe reaching the Home market, and as greater attention is being paid to quality and the output is cxnsndine. the competition from this source must have a bearing on the future tne market. The imports of butter into the United Kingdom during the seven months ended July 31, compared with the figures for the corresponding period of last year, show as under:—

Totals 2,768,413 2,403,968 The increase for the seven months totals 364,445 cwt. New Zealand supplies increased by 180,780 cwt.. Den* mark by 126.710 cwt., Australia by 57,* 234 cwt., although there was a sWarp decline in Victorian supplies. *The United States and Canada increased their shipments substantially, although their totals are small. The “other countries” increased their supplies by 142 J per cent. —Don inion.

Sweden 1922. Cwt. 6,125 1921. Cwt. 1 Denmark 803,470 076,760 Netherlands 1 44.138 57,664 France 6,031 398 United States ... 21,059 1882 Argentine 246,919 351,823 Victoria 219.579 374,987 •N.S. Wales 238.254 ' 155,904 Queensland 284,383 154,091 New Zealand ... K 758.244 577,464 Canada r. 46,989 14484 Other countries .. 93,222 38,410