U.S. MARKET FOR SMALL SEEDS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27151, 22 September 1953, Page 3

U.S. MARKET FOR SMALL SEEDS

DEVELOPMENT OF N.Z. TRADE

MR STEVENSON’S VIEW . CRITICISED (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, September 21. In the last 15 years New Zealand seed merchants had built up a strong market in America, and it was steadily increasing, said Mr J. T. Martin, of Wellington, today. The sale of seed in North America produced £300,000 worth of dollars annually, compared with the Dominion’s total annual average dollar income from all sources of £10,324,964, he said. Mr Martin was replying to a statement by Mr George Stevenson, of Dacre, that New Zealand was missing a wonderful opportunity to earn dollars by not developing a small seeds market in the United States. Mr Stevenson, one of the Dominion’s two delegates to the recent world conference of the International Federation of Agricultural Producers in Rome, spent a month in America on the way back. The facts contradicted Mr Stevenson’s statement, said Mr Martin. New Zealand’s shipments of seeds to the dollar countries. America and Canada, ran to about £300.000 annually.. “This is steadily increasing because of our strong advocacy of the specialised qualities of our white clover, chewing’s fescue, perennial ryegrass, and browntop, etc.,’’ Mr Martin added. These special qualities were well known to all the leading seedsmen in North America, and were advertised in their pamphlets. In addition to this, an extensive trade for New Zealand seed had been established in Britain, Ireland, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Australia, Mr Martin said.

“Our total exports of all seeds to all countries have increased from 7350

tons in 1947 to 8172 tons, worth £2,106,627, in 1952.” he continued. “The value of this source of dollar income should not be under-rated, considering that in the 10 years ended 1951 New Zealand’s total exports of all products to America were worth £103,249,647, or £10,324,964 annually.”