Restrictions Sought On Seed-Wheat Imports

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30845, 2 September 1965, Page 5

Restrictions Sought On Seed-Wheat Imports

A proposal that the importation of seed wheat from Australia be restricted was supported by the Dominion agriculture council of Federated Farmers at the council’s meeting yesterday. After listening to a proposal, recommending the imposition of restrictions, by the Director of the Crop Research Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (Dr. H. C. Smith), the council carried a motion that the Wheat Research Committee be the advisory body to recommend the varieties of seed wheat to be imported. At present no restriction existed on the importation of large quantities of seed from Australia, Dr. Smith said. Virtually all the imported seed wheat was used in the North Island, and some growers and merchants in the North Island viewed any restriction on imports very unfavourably.

Stem-rust Disease

One of the reasons against restricting imports was that stem-rust disease was severe in the North Island and the Australian varieties in use there at present, which have yielded well under North Island conditions, were now susceptible to rust attack. Those against restriction wanted to be able to import large quantities of any Australian variety, which they hoped would be resistant, to rust, Dr. Smith said. Another factor quoted by those who opposed restrictions was that the Crop Re-

search Division did not have a rust-resistant New Zealand variety suitable for late spring sowing. Dr. Smith said it would take at least two to five years for one to be available. However, no completely reliable rust-resistant variety was at present available in Australia.

Dr. Smith said his division was to increase its research m the North Island. “Growing large areas of some Australian varieties, which could be affected by rust, will not only cause severe loss to farmers, but will also slow down the programme for breeding local rust-resistant' varieties,” he said.

“No Advantage”

Sufficient quantities of the most suitable Australian varieties were available in New Zealand to sow all the desired acreage and there would be no advantage iln importing “fresh” seed of varieties already grown in tins country, he said. The council also supported a suggested policy governing the export and import of small seeds. This matter arose from proposals put forward earlier in the year by the Director-General of Agriculture (Mr D. N. R. Webb), which sought a review of the export control of agricultural seeds.

It was also decided that ' quality control of imported seeds was desirable, particularly the quality of various strains of different small seeds.