BRITISH SEED MARKET

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26025, 31 January 1950, Page 2

BRITISH SEED MARKET

IMPORTANCE OF N.Z. PRODUCTION From Our Own Reporter TIMARU, January 29. “Your seed production is most important to us when we consider that we use yearly 300,000 cwt of perennial ryegrass and 25,000 cwt of white clover which represents a considerable sum of money,” said Mr M. Passmore, chairman of the seed committee of the National Farmers’ Union of Great Britain, ar Timaru yesterday. Mr Passmore intends to inspect grasslands and pastures throughout New Zealand and will leave by air for Britain on April 11. He arrived at Auckland by air last Sunday. He farms about 1500 acres of pasture and cropping land on the borders of Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire. He is a member of the governing body of the Grasslands Research Council of Great Britain.

Mr Passmore said that in New Zealand seed production was subsidiary to fat lamb raising whereas in Britain seeds were grown on a contract basis which meant that while it was known what acreage would be sown, it was not possible to foretell what quantity would come *on the market. Mr Passmore will inspect farms in South Canterbury this week and will then visit Central Otago.