June 1896.] THE DAIRY TRADE OF SWEDEN AN T D NORWAY. 



7 



THE DAIRY TRADE OF SWEDEN AND NORWAY. 



One of the features of the British import trade in dairy- 

 produce has been the steady growth of the receipts of butter 

 from Swedish and Norwegian ports, a development wdiich has 

 been particularly marked during the past decade. Ten years 

 ago the annual imports of butter from Sweden did not exceed 

 149,000 cwts. In the interval, however, the consignments received 

 from that country have increased from year to year, with the 

 exception of a slight check in 1892, and in 1895 they amounted 

 to 310,809 cwts. The imports of Norwegian butter have also 

 doubled during the same period, but the trade is as yet of very 

 small proportions, the annual receipts having only once exceeded 

 20,000 cwts. during the last 10 years. 



In 1886, Norway was responsible for 7,186 cwts. of the butter 

 imported into the United Kingdom, while in 1895 she was 

 credited with 15,155 cwts. During the first five years of the 

 decade, the Norwegian consignments entered at British ports 

 declined from 7,186 cwts. in 1881 to 4,200 cwts. in 1890 ; in the 

 following three years they amounted to 6,800 cwts., 9,400 cwts., 

 and 22,150 cwts. respectively; in 1894 they were 15,700 cwts., 

 and 15,155 cwts. in 1895. 



On reference to the trade statistics of Sweden, it will be found 

 that the bulk of the butter exported from that country is shipped 

 to Great Britain. Taking the figures of each of the past three 

 years, it appears that the total quantity of butter exported from 

 Swedish ports in 1893 was 396,000 cwts. ; in 1894, 438,000 cwts. ; 

 and in 1895, 469,000 cwts. In the same years, the shipments of 

 Swedish butter to British ports amounted to 267,000 cwts., 

 266,000 cwts., and 311,000 cwts. respectively. The difference 

 between these figures and the total exports represents a balance 

 of about 150,000 cwts. annually, nearly all of which is exported 

 to Denmark, and subsequently re-exported to the United King- 

 dom, so that the amount of Swedish butter actually received in 

 this country is much greater than the quantities entered as 

 imported from Sweden. Thus, according to a report recently 

 issued by the Agricultural Department at Stockholm,* the total 

 consignments of Swedish butter received at British ports last 

 year amounted to between 440,000 and 450,000 cwts., or about 

 130,000 cwts. in excess of the quantity returned as of Swedish 

 origin in the import statistics of this country. 



In Sweden there are over 1,500 dairies, of which by far the 

 larger number are fitted with modern appliances for the separa- 

 tion of cream from milk. According to a statement prepared 

 by the State dairy instructor, and published in 1894, the 



* Aisberattelse till Kongl. Landtbrnksstyrelsen fran Mejeriagenturen i Manchester 

 or ar 1895. 



