Grain decline noted

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32635, 17 June 1971, Page 13

Grain decline noted

The failure to put primary and secondary industries in New Zealand on the same footing had resulted in a decline in production of both grain and field crops.

The chairman of the Dominion agriculture produce section of Federated Farmers (Mr S. J. Lister) said

this at the opening of the section’s annual conference in Christchurch. He said that, as a conseS«, valuable overseas had been used to buy substantial imports of these commodities.

The last year had seen irresponsible pressure groups hold the nation to ransom with the consequent skyrocketing of the cost of living and production, said Mr. Lister.

“The blunt fact of life is that we live on grass. Our ability to grow it and to utilise it efficiently should be foremost in the minds of all," said Mr Lister. “No-one but a fool should ignore the warning signs that have been based on factual evidence produced in recent months. Our failure to take action to arrest the decline in farm reinvestment will affect eventually the standard of living of all New Zealanders. “We cannot afford to let pur most efficient industry ran down through no fault of its own.”

“DECISIONS NEEDED” The supply of feed grains for domestic requirements was a matter that would need some important decisions in the near future, said Mr Lister.

The necessity to import for the second successive year substantial quantities of feed barley revealed a serious lack of planning. The basic problem had been the totally uneconomic prices offered to growers in the main producing areas, he said. The “massive” transport charges from the South Island to the North Island were another factor. A costly, uncompetitive transport system should not be allowed to make uneconomic the growing of grain ip certain parts of New Zealand, he added.