N.Z. LINEN FLAX v EXPORTS

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25551, 20 July 1948, Page 4

N.Z. LINEN FLAX v EXPORTS

TRIAL SHIPMENT TO AMERICA AUSTRALIAN DEMAND FOR SEED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, July 18. The Linen Flax Corporation of New Zealand has received advice from Oregon, United States, that a trial shipment of 50 tons of New Zealand linen flax tow has proved very satis- , factory. In spite of high landing costa, . further purchases are contemplated. • Steady shipments of linen fibre being made to Great Britain.. Some og it is re-exported to the Continent. 1 In Australia, too, interest is keen, as it has been found that New Zealan&t flax seed does well there, and regular ,'! shipments are made. Australia’s seed's requirements are between 300 and 400 tons a year. The present New Zealand linen flax industry is a promising survival of the war-time emergency. In 1940 Britain asked for the planting by New Zealand of 15,000 acres in linen flax, 500 tons of seed being sent at a cost of £30,000. The acreage requested was afterwards raised to 25.000 and 17 factories were eventually working. The peace-time strength of the industry, which is situated mainly in South Canterbury and Southland, is six factories, employing 303 workers. The export prospects of the infant industry are said to be fairly favourable because of the downward trend in linen flax production elsewhere. In Canada only 411 tons of scutched flax and 515 tons of tow were produced last year. There are indications of a falling-off in Northern Ireland this year. New Zealand’s total production of long fibre this year is likely to be 543 tons. New Zealand still has some flax to sell at £247 10s a ton. Prices being paid to Irish growers for 1948 are more than £3OO a ton. Great Britain’s imports of linen flax are 60,000 tons a year. The largest suppliers are Russia, Belgium, and Latvia.