SUPERPHOSPHATE MANUFACTURE

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28089, 3 October 1956, Page 14

SUPERPHOSPHATE MANUFACTURE

WORKS DELIVER MORE THAN IM. TONS INCREASE IN USE OF SPECIAL MIXTURES (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 2. More than one million tons of fertilisers were manufactured and sold during the year ended July, 1956, said the Minister of Agriculture (Mr K. J. Holyoake) today. Total sales from ! superphosphate works were 5.6 per cent, higher than in the previous year at 1,055,287 tons. A substantial expansion was expected with the completion of new works at Morrinsville, Tauranga, and Invercargill in 1958 or early 1959. A feature of fertiliser use was that a quarter of all fertilisers was being sold in the form of special purpose mixtures. There was an increase of over 20,000 tons in potassic mixtures over the previous year, and the demand for cobaltised mixtures continued to increase, mostly in the South Island. In the North Island there were increased sales of copperised mixtures amounting to 5000 tons. Sales of molybdenised mixtures were slightly lower, which was understandable, as annual dressings of molybdenum were not necessary. The practice of incorporating D.D.T. for control of insects with ’ fertiliser was spreading. All imported fertilisers with the exception of North African phosphate were being used to a greater extent, said Mr Holyoake. Total imports had risen steadily in the last ive years from 1*7,236 tons in 1951 to 41.675 tons last year. The phenomenal development of aerial topdressing continued, said Mr Holyoake. Fifty-six operators used 303 aeroplanes. In the year they made 1,155,310 flights, which occupied 79,74' hours.