Record Harvest Of Barley Predicted

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31936, 13 March 1969, Page 12

Record Harvest Of Barley Predicted

Up to 3Jm bushels of malting barley would be available from this summer’s harvest, said the chairman of the executive of the agricultural section of North Canterbury Federated Farmers (Mr A. L. Mulholland) at a meeting of the executive yesterday. He said that 2.4 m bushels was the normal annual requirement. Mr Mulholland forecast a record year for barley production in the area. There would also be a plentiful supI ply of wheat, even though (the size of the yield might (appear obscure at present.

' Discussing insurance for barley growers, Mr Mulholland said that reports from insurance companies which had been approached had not been very encouraging. If all farmers were to take out insurance it would be all right, but if only those in a rain belt did so the scheme would hardly be worth while, as the premiums would be out of proportion. The matter was raised in a letter from the North Canterbury Grain, Seed and Produce Merchants’ Association. The letter said it was difficult to obtain insurance against hail damage. The association intended to take up the matter with the local insurance association and with the Lloyd’s agents in Christchurch to see whether they would be prepared to accept proposals for this class of insurance or offer an alternative.

Mr Mulholland said he wondered whether an approach [could be made to the malting

company to see whether it was interested in a scheme similar to that involving compensation paid to wheat growers and to find out the levy that would be required. The executive decided to defer action until the ouicome of the grain merchants’ approach was known. Transport Problem

This season's wheat production had tried transport facilities to the full, Mr N. Q. Wright said. Rail and road transport had been satisfactory, but some mills in Christchurch were not geared to handle bulk grain. The mills had not made the same progress as had farmers and carriers. The basic problem was the slowness of the mechanical intake at the mills. Mr A. T. Metherell said it appeared that some of the mills were not geared to hold large stocks and seemed glad to handle only their monthly quotas. They were, he felt, relying on farmers to store the wheat in silos. Mr Mulholland said the mills believed their methods were adequate, “but our view and theirs in this matter are poles apart.” Mr D. H. Butcher said that most mills at present were full of wheat.

After other speakers had said that slowness of the receiving mechanism at the mills added to their transport costs, the executive passed a resolution in which it said it deplored the slow turn-round of road transport at some local mills and urged that remedial, action be taken.