The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-08-07
DEMAND FOR DAIRY PRODUCTS HAS BEEN
GOOD IN WORLDS CHIEF MARKETS
United States is Greatest Single National Con-
sumer--The Worlds Situation

The demand for dairy products has
been good in the worlds chief mar
ket. The United Kingdom is the
chief market for the dairy products
of international trade, having taken
nearly 65 per cent OF the butter and
10 per cent Of the cheese in the last
year before the war Her imports
of butter in 1923-including Irish sup
plies amounting to not more than
70,000000 pounds which are now rec
koned as imported-were 574,033 900
pounds as compared with 466, 709 900
IN the pre-war half decade. The
imports of cheese in 1923 were 49,
100000 pounds as compared with 264,-
$40, 900 in pre-war years. Since the
British home dairy production has
also increased. it is evident that con
sumption in that country has in
creased materially, even when rated
on the per capita basis This is
noteworthy in view of the relatively
depressed condition of British econo-
mic life.
In Germany on the other hand, the
consumption of dairy products is still
very much curtailed. In 1912 in the
present territory of the German Re
public, the total supplies of butter
both domestic and foreign. amounted
to S95,000,0 900 pounds In each OF
the last three years the total supply
has been only about 585. 100000 lbs
Since the milk equivalent of the con
sumption of all the chief dairy prod
ucts, including whole milk. was more
than one-third greater in Germany
than in the United States in normal
IA Sc, ct n,,;c
as it might appear on first glance
However, the supplies of fresh milk
seem to be curtailed more seriously
than the butter. The number oil
dairy cows has not seriously deCreas-
ed but the feed available for them is
very. scarce and the milk available
for human consumption is estimated
at only one-half to two-thirds Of the
pre-war supplies. Since the farm
ilng population is taking care of it
self first, the city population is left
with very scanty milk supplies. APP
parently, Germany is in a somewhat
worse state as regards dairy products
than other parts of central Europe
Production in France, on the other
hand. was only about 10 per cent he.
low normal in 1928.
Inc united states Is the BTcdieSl
single national consumer of dairy
products This consumption. how
ever, is made up chiefly of domestic
products. During some periods in
the past, and again in the last years
of the war and Immediately there
after. this country exported more
dairy products than its imports How
ever, in the half decade before the
war and again in 1923 the net foreign
trade of dairy products was distinct
iy inward even when the imports OF
Canadian fresh milk and cream arc
omitted from the calculation. The
United States still has net export
of condensed milk, although this is
much lighter than in the war years
The net imports of butter and cheese
are great enough, however, materially
to out balance this export. The mel
import of these three dairy products
when reduced to the terms of milk
equivalent, amounted to nearly half a
billion pounds in 1928. This was a
larger deficit than in the average
year before the war when the net inn
ports amounted to about one-third of
billion pounds. In addition, in the