APPENDIX.
NORTHERN IRELAND.*
1. Upon the occasion of the last Census of Production, the estimated supply of
butter available for consumption in Northern Ireland was approximately 252,000 cwt.,
made up as follows :—
56 “0 cwt. made in creameries. :
‘2 made on farms.
i being excess of imports over exports.
Total .
959 (;
About 71 per cent. of the total butter supply was produced in Northern Ireland
und 29 per cent. imported. The production of butter is, however, largely confined to
he summer months and during this period there is a considerable surplus of butter
available for export. During the winter months, on the other hand, Northern Ireland
is largely dependent upon imported supplies. Accordingly, it was considered advisable
in the case of the Retail Butter Survey of Belfast to adopt different periods from those
adopted in Great Britain. The First Survey was conducted from June 12th to July
11th, 1929, when the Northern Ireland production was at its maximum ; and the
second from January 17th to February 21st, when Belfast was largely dependent
spon imported supplies. In other respects the Survey in Belfast was conducted on
parallel lines to that in Great Britain. Some of the results are summarised briefly in
the following paragraphs.
2. Tt is estimated that there are probably over 500 shops engaged in selling butter
'n Belfast. Two hundred and twelve firms, representing 249 shops, were visited.
The classification of shops according to organisation showed that 78 per cent. were
independent, 18 per cent. Jocal multiple, 2 per cent. non-local multiple and 2 per cent.
dairies. As regards class of trade, about 10 per cent. of the shops may be classified
as “ high”, 40 per cent. as “ middle ”’, and 50 per cent. as “low ",
TABLE 1.— Percentage of Shops stocking One, Two, Three or more
Types of Buiter.
One Type ch .
Two Types .. s . ..
Three Types -- “? .s .
More than Three Types .-
-
First Survey.
35
43
19
id
Qecond Survey.
39
33
21
-
* Summary of some of the results of an Enquiry into the Retail Marketing of
Butter in Belfast undertaken bv the Ministry of Agriculture for Northern Ireland.
5X
