Transcriber’s Note:
The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
WEATHER
CROPS AND MARKETS
CERTIFICATE: By direction of the Secretary of Agriculture the matter contained herein is published as statistical information and is required for the proper transactionof the public business. Free distribution is limited to copies “necessary in the transaction of public business required by law.” Subscription price $1 per year(foreign rate $2) payable in cash or money order to the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C.
| Washington, D. C. | AUGUST 5, 1922. | Vol. 2, No. 6 |
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EXPORT BUTTER DEMAND CAUSES MUCH INTEREST
Sales to United Kingdom Strengthened Early Summer Market—Shift in England’s Supply Sources.
A demand for American butter by Englishbuyers had a materially strengthening effecton the early summer market in the UnitedStates. This generally unexpected exportdemand has called forth various explanationsin the attempt to determine the probabilityof continued demand from thatsource.
An analysis of the international buttertrade of the past 10 years indicates that achange not yet generally realized has takenplace in the seasonal trend of imports ofbutter into the United Kingdom, whichlargely accounts for this demand in anticipationof an autumn shortage. This change isdue to the shift that took place during thewar in the sources of supply of that greatestof all butter-importing countries.
SUPPLY WAS UNIFORM.
Prior to the war the United Kingdom obtainedits butter supply from such widelyscattered sources in both the Northern and theSouthern Hemispheres that the supply wasremarkably uniform from month to monththroughout the year. During the war, whensupplies available from continental Europeand Russia were reduced, Australia, NewZealand, and Argentina were encouraged toexpand their dairy industry, and havetogether since that time continued as themost important sources of supply of butteron the British markets.
As the flush of production in Australia,New Zealand, and Argentina occurs duringthe fall and winter months when productionis lightest in North America and Europe,England now receives an average of two-thirdsof the total supply of foreign butterduring the winter and spring, whereas formerlybut one-half was received during thisperiod.
Although consumption does not necessarilyfollow the same seasonal trend as theimports, it is a fact, according to reports ofLondon dealers, that butter stocks are nowlower than at the same time last year, whenat least 50,000,000 lbs. of Government stocksstill remained unsold in England. Withcomparatively light stocks and the certaintythat imports into En