Farmers To Look At Seed Charges

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31365, 10 May 1967, Page 18

Farmers To Look At Seed Charges

The agriculture section of North Canterbury Federated Fanners will make a detailed investigation of charges on seeds handled by seed merchants in Canterbury.

Delegates from several branches yesterday said that seed merchants were making exorbitant profits on seeds they handled and sold. The matter was raised by the Hororata branch delegate (Mr S. J. Hunt), who said that merchants had increased their prices by as much as 50 per cent. Cow grass had increased from Is lOd per lb to 3s 4d, and brown top from 3s 6d to 7s. “It is apparent to many farmers that the price is too high,” he said. The Darfield delegate (Mr A. L. Mulholland) said that one of his neighbours had sold seed to a merchant for 10s a bushel and had later bought it back for 15s a bushel. The merchant had not touched the seed. “This is a matter for the trade practices people, but it is very hard to find them. They hide their light under a very big bushel,” he said.

Mr A. T. Metherell (Sefton) said the matter should be taken up on a Dominion level. Mr R. G. Rainey (Woodend) said the price of seed wheat was fixed by the Price Tribunal. Mr G. E. Rennie (Ellesmere) said he did not think members would get anywhere without an investigation. If North Island farmers knew how cheaply South Island farmers sold their grain there would be an export market in the north. Charges For Boxes The section will also Investigate charges for receiving and delivering seed boxes. Mr G. W. Hutton (Darfield) said that some merchants were charging as much as 22s 6d a box, which his branch considered exorbitant. Mr M. N. Watson (Ellesmere) said he had been told the merchants had agreed to the same charge. Mr Mulholland said the merchants were charging more for boxes than for sacks, although there was less work involved in handling the boxes. “The merchants claim they are having big costs in converting from sacks to boxes. Other people can recoup their costs, but we can’t,” he said. Mr L. W. Savage (Amuri) said an investigation of sampling charges was also in order.