SOUTHERN WHEAT HARVEST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 42, 20 February 1933, Page 4

SOUTHERN WHEAT HARVEST.

PROBLEM OF SURPLUS. BOARD'S METHODS OPPOSED. The arrangements made by the Wheat Marketing Board for the disposal of. thi£ season's harvest has failed to give satisfaction to Canterbury farmers. Assording to reports of meetings recently held m the South, the growers considered that the regulations of the board were such that the wheat gr.ower at the price offered, and under the restrictions placed on the sale of the wheat, got very little for his product. Also, the unfairness of the board in raising the weight of wheat to 611b a bushel would mean that 50 per cent of the wheat would be rejected. The bulk of the wheat would be Tuscan, and taken under the board's scheme by April at 3/4 a bushel, f.0.b., would return 3/ to the grower, out ot which had to be deducted the board s expenses of administration, which were a first charge on all wheat as well as bran and pollard. One farmer said that for the board to take 2,000.000 bushels of surplus wheat into store would be a very costly method. It was suggested there was a better method, and this had been discussed at, Methven,' Rnkaia and Eyreton, and a resolution had been carried unanimously at each place that the grower should retain 20 per cent of his wheat on the farm. . . At Rangiora the following resolution wa3 carried: —

"That it be a recommendation to the Wheat Purchase Board to investigate tile possibility of growers holding 20 per cent of their wheat on the farm, thus allowing the advance payment to be nearer 4/8» f.0.b., until the board has ascertained whether there is a surplus, as this meeting of wheat growers considers it to be more beneficial for growers to hold their wheat than put it on the market."