OCEAN ISLAND PHOSPHATE

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25547, 15 July 1948, Page 4

OCEAN ISLAND PHOSPHATE

—♦ — Four Months’ Output Lost By Strikes NO PRICE CHANGE AT PRESENT (P.A. WELLINGTON, July 14. “The ruling prices for phosphatic fertilisers are not to be adjusted at present,” said Mr E. L. Cullen (Minister of Agriculture) to-night. M At the moment it is difficult to forecast whether any reduction will be possible during the 1948-49 rationing year, as the supply position or raw rock has materially altered during the last few weeks. “In May of this year it was anticipated that some reduction would be possible as from July 1, but strikes among the native workers on Ocean Island have necessitated their repatriation and replacement by Chinese labour,” said the Minister. ‘‘This cannot be done until the end of August, which will mean a loss of four months’ output from Ocean Island. This will in turn increase the overhead cost of raw rock by an unknown amount. “The lost output from Ocean Island must be made up by purchases of North African phosphate at prices considerably in excess of -those which would have ruled from Nauru and Ocean Islands, and it will not be possible to estimate the effect of the c.i.f. price of raw rock landed at New Zealand ports until at least the latter part cf August. “In view of this position I would urge that users of fertiliser should accept deliveries in the normal manner, as" failure to do so will react detrimentally on overall delivery cf fertilisers during the 1948-49 rationing year,” said Mr Cullen.