An Ever-Growing Industry.

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 53, 19 July 1929, Unnumbered Page

An Ever-Growing Industry.

ROM 3YA, on July 12, Mr. C. J. Pollard outlined the standing of New Zealand Dairy Produce in the Home Country. Mr. Pollard has had a long connection with all matters relating to the marketing of this important product in Great Britain and his address followed a course different from any yet delivered. Reproduced below are the main features of this talk.

BUSINESS man is exceedingly fortunate when his experience _and interests are bound up with an ever-growing industry. That piece of good luck is enjoyed by the trader who is engaged in the Dairy Produce Export Industry of New Zealand, whether in the Dominion or in the Home country. A few figures will demonstrate incontrovertibly the great expansion that is taking place in the export of New Zealand butter and cheese to the United Kingdom. In the year 1913 (by selecting this year

the abnormal war years are exciuded), tie . total exports of butter were roughly 250,000 cwts., whereas, in 1928, they amounted to cver one and a quarter millions, that is, five times as much, representing an increase of 500 per cent. In 1918 the total value was £1,350,000 and in 1928 it was £10,274,000,. or nearly eight times as much-an increase of 800 per cent, ; In this connection it is important to consider the figures regard to Denmark, as this small country still heads the list of, "exporters to the United Kingdom. In 1913, Denmark sent to the United Kingdom,. 1,800,006 cwts., and 1928, 2,000,000 cwits., this jnerease representing only 50 per cent. expansion, as against New Zealand’s 500 per cent.; that is, the Dominion’s rate of increase on this comparison is ten times as large as that of Denmark. THIS remarkable increase in New Zealand exports has a significant bearing upon the question as to whether the quality of New Zealand butter is, on the whole, slipping back. If the consumer be the final arbiter of quality, as broadly speaking we think he is, _ then we have this fact to recognise; the consumer absorbed, in 1928, five times the quantity of New Zealand butter than he did in 1913, and, as prices have been well maintained in this greatly increased supply, it is difficult to believe that the quality has deteriorated. , , Again, it is difficult to think that the quality has gone back in the face of the many improvements that have taken place in the manufacture of butter for the Home market. Everywhere I have gone, and I have visited a large number of the principal factories, Il have been shown better machinerv for production, the latest scientific apparatus being eagerly sought after by the producer, while on the farms as well, there is a considerable development of improved methods. . It is almost incredible, with all this attention to the latest inventions for the production of the best product possible, that the quality should actually have gone back. My own view is that on balance the quality now is an advance upon former years. It may: be true that this improvement is more from the bottom

upwards than from the top, but even if this be so, it is still, we think, true that the average quality is higher than it was. HE figures in regard to cheese, although not quite as striking as in the ease of butter, are also very remarkable. Taking the same two years for comparison, we find that in 1913 the total export of New Zealand cheese to the United King-dom-amounted to roughly, 550,000 cwts., while in 1928 it had grown to 1,600,000 ewts., or nearly three times as much; that is, an increase of 300 per cent., of which the value in 1913 was £1,900,000, and in 1928, £7,600,000-an increase of 500 per

cent. In talking of butter we use Denmark as a test, In cneese we take Canada; and in comparing the New Zealand export of cheese with that. of Canada, the results are even more astounding. The New Zealand tonnage, as before mentioned, shows an increase of 300 per cent., while the Canadian export in 1928, as against 1913, not only marks no increase, but is actually a. decrease of 30 per cent., being 920,000 ewts., as compared with 1,300,000 ewts. in 1913. ; ; The value 6f the New Zealarid export is 4% greater in 1928 than in 1918, and that of Canada more than one-sixth less. It is also a matter for congratulation that the export of New Zealand cheese to the United Kingdom altogether overtops the export from any other country in the world. Surely these are very striking facts. New Zealand has very much to be proud of, and as far as observation of the ruling conditions out here indicates, there seems no reason why New Zealand should not only maintain this supremacy, but should further increase it. ONE svord more on the question of direct shipments to the ports in the west and north of England. It is, of course, desirable that the fullest possible use should be made of other centres of distribution than London, but it must be recognised that London is fay ahead of other markets as a recognised market at which buyers and sellers congregate to a far greater extent than elsewhere, not only London and southern county traders, but also from the west and Ireland, the east, the midlands, the, north and Scotland, and even if ‘London is not personally attended, the agents of the London importers stationed throughout the United Kingdom are active in catering for the requirements of buyers in their respective districts. London and the southern counties have also an enormous swallow in feeding the vast population of their inhabitants. | [t must not be forgotten that the population of Greater London ‘ itself numbers over eight million people, so that’ although the outlying centres must be studied in every way, it still remains true -cContinued on page 2. cor ee eevee ets 2806s 0c 0ee-ee ese

Yhe Dairy Industry a

XConcluded from front page.) that the outlet in these directions is limited, and is far more spasmodic in its demand’ than that ofe the London market. The West of England, owing to its geographical nearness to Ireland, is bound to take large supplies. of. Irish during’ the: season, while the north, owing to its nearness to Denmark and the ‘Baltic ports, is a natural home for Danish and "Cask"? butter.