PRODUCE SOLD TO BRITAIN

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26117, 20 May 1950, Page 6

PRODUCE SOLD TO BRITAIN

PRICES CONSIDERED INADEQUATE

MR G. C. WARREN SPEAKS OF FARMERS’ VIEW

I “There is a ‘growing feeling among ■ farmers that cur price negotiators • have tempered their bargaining with • an undue degree of patriotism and not enough consideration for the general weL-being of farmers—and not only them but the Dominion as a whole, said the president (Mr G. C. Warren) discussing the marketing of New Zealand primary produce overseas m a report to the fifth annual- conference of the agricultural section of the North Canterbury district of Federated Farmers yesterday. . “Patriotic and sympathetic to Great Britain we must be within all possible reason, but we should expect Great Britain to share her patriotism with her own people and the Dominions in somewhat equal proportions, and not have her own farmers singled out for special favours as at present,”* he con-, tinued. . x ..J “Recent information indicates that Britain will pay her fat sheep pro- ( ducers an average price of 263 a per_ io for fat sheep and lamb, whereas the price she is paying for first-grade New Zealand lamb is 11.65 d sterling per lb said Mr Warren. “For fat cattle the British producer will receive 156 s oa per 1001 b. and to-day she is paying the New Zealand producer 53s 6d per 100 lb. Although we have no wheat for export it is interesting to note that the British grower will receive 15s a bushel for the forthcoming crop. “These prices, to mention only tnree, are of concern to New Zealand producers when a member of the Treasury and members of the Meat Board are on their way to negotiate new orices for our products, continued Mr Warren, “and farmers are hoping that these engaged in the . negotiations will fight a harder bargain than they appear to have done in the past. Reference to Australia “They have not far to go to nna a neighbour member of the British Empire who has made harder bargains and at the same time maintained a high rate of exchange with considerable benefit to not only her producers but the country in general. In Australia to-day, to take only one example, anyone desiring to purchase a car can go into a motor agency and get almost immediate delivery of an English car. Other imports which this country badly needs such as refrigerators. and other home needs, are available for immediate delivery, but there is a big difference between the choice of goods available and those op sale in this country,” said Mr Warren. , , . t “It is true that wool and wheat nave been of great value to Australia, but so have our butter and meat in proportion to our size, and it is only from the sale of our exports that we can get imports and so provide employment for thousands of British workers. , “There is a feeling also that our low-priced butter and meat are helping to pay some of the huge amount of subsidies that Britain is paying today, and our farmers are not gener? allv inclined to the principle of subsidies.” Mr Warren added that although it might be thought that this matter was more the concern of other sections 0: the federation, most agriculturalists were vitally concerned with meat production and had a right to express their thoughts, “especially when in order to help Britain this country has endorsed her policy of devaluing the pound sterling in relation to the dollar. so considerably increasihg the cost of machinery needed for agricultural work.”