Search For Phosphate

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31226, 25 November 1966, Page 18

Search For Phosphate

WELLINGTON, Nov. 23.

Fertiliser costs affected the prices of New Zealand’s exported products, and these costs were expected to double or treble in the next 10 years, Mr J. Byrne told the fertiliser symposium of the Mineral Resources Committee today.

Mr Byrne, a member of the Department of Industries and Commerce, said the rising cost of importing fertiliser

was placing-a strain on the country’s overseas funds. He said the cost of fertiliser sold in New Zealand was about £l5 million, and that it was costing the country £25 million to spread it on the grass.

“New Zealand must retain its present overseas markets, and at the same time press into new ones,” said Mr Byrne. “The way to get these new markets is to offer quality goods at competitive prices.” The symposium, the aim of which is to allow the country’s mineral experts to understand New Zealand’s long-term requirements of fertilisers, might be able to do something about fertiliser costs, he said.

“The fertiliser industry is a large-scale business. Even fractional gains in application or processing do achieve substantial gains.”

Outlining the purpose of the symposium. Mr R. A. Simpson said the backbone of the country’s exports was primary production. Therefore fertiliser, on which primary production was based, took an important place. “If we could find phosphate here, it would be just as important as finding oil,” said Dr. M. M. Burns. There was a great demand from agriculture and forestry for a continued supply of phosphate. “For many years we have had access to Nauru, but the end there is in sight. From now on, we will have to look for other and supplementary sources.”

He said he hoped one of the papers presented to the symposium might show that some areas of New Zealand had deposits of fertiliser underground.