SERIOUS FODDER SHORTAGE

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24814, 2 March 1946, Page 6

SERIOUS FODDER SHORTAGE

♦— — PRICE ORDER FOR HAY AND CHAFF

EFFORT TO RELIEVE DROUGHT AREA (PA.) WELLINGTON, March 1 “In view of the serious shortage of stock food in districts affected by the drought, the Government has drinded that surplus hay and chaff must be made available at reasonable prices to farmers who have suffered from the drought in the Auckland province and in parts of Hawke’s Bay and Poverty Bay ” said the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. B. Hpberts) ‘°-day“Treasury loans will also be made available at a low rate of interest ts those who have suffered from drought and fire and who cannot arrange finance through the normal Tribunal has issued a price order operative as from Monday, March 4, fixing ceiling prices for meadow hay at £7 10s a ton, lucerne hay at £8 10s a top. and chaff at £9 10s a ton. sacks in. These prices, which include South Island merchants’ cornmission, ore on an f.o.p. basis for tne South Island and op qp f.o.r. basis for the North Island, and are the maximum prices for prime grades of sucn fodder. It is expected thpt grades below prime hay and good bright oaten 'sheaf epaff will be purchased at lower figures. "There is at present a ceiling price for white oats (Price Order No. 470) and this, together with the embargo placed on the export of all oats, should effectively keep prices at normal levels. Should the position get out of hand, a ceiling price for all oats will be introduced. “Realising that the cost of transport and otper charges will be heavy in many districts, the Government will subsidise the cost of fodder in drought areas in lots of one ton or more. The cost of hay or chaff to the purchasing farmer will be the actual price paid for such fodder, f.o.b. or f.0.r., as the case might be, plus 10s a ton at the purchaser’s nearest station or port. Thus meadow hay purchased in the South Island at £7 10s a ton, f.0.b., Will cost the farmer £8 a ton at his nearest railway station or port.

Allocation by Committees “The Government will by subsidy meet freight and other charges,” said the Minister. is being arranged through members of the New Zealand Grain, Seed, and Produce Merchants* Federation. Committees consisting of representatives of primary production councils, the Merchants’ Federation and the Department of Agriculture arp being set up in each district to see that -there is a fajr and just allocation of this fodder. *‘lt must be clearly understood that this relief is being granted entirely because of phenomenal conditions brought about by the drought, and ap? plies only to those districts affected. The drought area U defined as all those counties north of and including the pounties of Waipukurau, Patangata, Waipawa, Hawke’s Bay t Taupo, Taumarunui. and Waitomo. Where apy farmer outside this defined area considers he has a claim for assistance, hjs application will be de? cideq qn its merits- Such an applica? tion should ip the first place be made tq the merchants, who will in turn contact thp nearest fields officer of the Department of Agriculture. * Surveys have been made of tha portiqn of the Dominion where there iS likely to he surplus fodder, but it appears that the quantities available Will not meet the demand. The committees will control distribution to effect |he best possible coverage.” Outlining the scheme of assistance by way of Treasury loans, the Minister stated that these would be on the same terms as those granted for flqod damage, and would be available to those not able t<l . obtain finance through the usual commercial channels.

’*lt is felt," added the Minister, "that these measures of assistance will be of great value tq farmers in the affected areas where stock food is so urgently needed. I would also appeal to all those who are in mare favourably situated districts tp make availaWe W much surplus feed as possible in the form of hay and chaff. It is quite possible that the supplies of the latter may be inadequate to meet requirements, and it might be necessary for farmers in tfie north to use cereal straw. ’Hierefore, good quality straw should also bp conserved In grain growing districts, ft is imperative alsq that as much green feed as possible should he sown in droughtstricken areas as soon as conditions to sUpplernent winter feed sup-