Mills Anticipate Wheat Storage Difficulty

Press, Volume C, Issue 29680, 25 November 1961, Page 16

Mills Anticipate Wheat Storage Difficulty

South Island millers are concerned at the high level stocks of bran and pollard they are at present holding. This was stated yesterday by Mr J. B. Taylor, secretary of the New Zealand Flour-mil-lers’ Society. The position could affect mills’ ability to handle the new wheat harvest. “These stocks are considerably in excess of stocks usually held by mills at this time of the year and unless there is an unprecedented demand over the next month, which is considered unlikely, a considerable proportion of mills’ storage space will be taken up by bran and pollard,” said Mr Taylor. “If this is so, the early intake of wheat by mills from the coming harvest will be seriously reduced and this position will only improve according to the reduction of the stocks of bran and pollard. "Bran and pollard take up considerably more space than wheat, as these commodities cannot be stacked to the same height. A sack of bran or pollard takes up more space than a sack of wheat which is about 50 per cent, heavier. “On the basis of the present stocks of bran and pollard, mills would be unable to take into store about 15,000 to 20,000 tons of wheat and this quantity of wheat will either have to go into merchants’ stores or be held on the farm.” Mr Taylor said that the position had been aggravated by the condition of the wheat received from the last harvest. This had resulted in millers obtaining a lesser quantity of flour per ton of wheat with a consequent in-

crease in the amount of bran and pollard. Representations The difficulty, which was now apparent, had been envisaged by the New Zealand Flourmillers’ Society and representations had been made to the Wheat Committee that action was needed to relieve the situation. As there had not been any move in this direction by the end of July, the matter had been taken up with the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr Marshall, early in August. Later in the month the Wheat Committee had annonuced a price reduction of £3 a ton on bran or pollard to apply as from August 25. “The society was of the opinion that the measures taken would not relieve the position sufficiently and to date this has proved correct,” continued Mr Taylor. “Further representa t i o n s were made to Mr B. E. Talboys, M.P., early in September, and again in October, at which times it was suggested that consideration be given to exporting sufficient to bring stocks to a more normal level, but as yet, as far as is known, there has not been any further action taken. “Should the present drought continue, it is possible that demands from the dairy industry may afford some relief, but the society considered it only fair to advise farmers of the position as it appears at present so that they are able to make provision to protect their wheat.”