WHEAT HANDLING Care needed with surplus in prospect

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32797, 23 December 1971, Page 10

WHEAT HANDLING Care needed with surplus in prospect

With wheat production increasing and consumption declining and the industry facing the prospect of a surplus in the coming season, the general man- * ager of the New Zealand Wheat Board (Mr L. G. Dunshea) urges growers to s ’ take great care in the harvesting and I storing of their crops to ensure their ■ satisfactory disposal.

Referring to crop projection statistics, based on Department of Agriculture estimates, given to a recent meeting of the agriculture section of North Canterbury Federated Farmers by the chairman of the Dominion agriculture section, Mr J. D. Simpson, Mr Dunshea said that provided conditions favourable for the development of the crops continued surpluses of wheat, barley and maize would result from the coming harvest. The expected surplus of wheat was about Im to 2m bushels. Mr Dunshea added, that in saying this, he realised that in the last week or two dry conditions had set in in North Canterbury and Mid-Canterbury and that further rain was needed. However, he said that on a visit to the main wheat growing areas in the -South Island very recently he had been particularly impressed by the very good appearance of crops over a large part of the area. It had been stated that the acreage in Canterbury had increased this year by 15 per cent compared with last year. Within this region the increase in the area in Mid-Canterbury was greater than this and a large wheat crop of more than 4m bushels could be expected from this district alone. As well late sowings in Southland appeared to have increased the total area in the crop there by 20,000 acres on last year’s figures, so that an extra quantity of wheat in excess of Im bushels could be expected from this area also.

The expectation was also for more wheat from South Canterbury and Otago. While there was this expected increase in production, consumption had con-

tinued to decline because of the displacement of wheat for feed purposes by barley and maize at cheaper prices. / “With fen expected surplus in prospect, the best advice that can be given to farmers and others at this stage is to provide for the safe storage of their wheat until it can be disposed of,” said Mr Dunshea. “It will be a great pity if any farmers allow their wheat to be left in the paddocks to the vagaries of the weather in the face of the prospect of a surplus in production. “Obviously much of the wheat will have to be held

for long periods so it is important that it is harvested and stored in good condition ait safe levels of moisture and with a minimum of weed seeds, broken grains and other extraneous matter present.” The fact that the record crop of 16.8 m bushels in 1969 had been successfully held for the most part in farm storage fbr varying periods suggested that this could be repeated again next year. It would also be necessary for care to be exercised in sampling, wheat for testing to ensure that the sample properly represented the line, Mr Dunshea warned. Improper sampling, he added, would involve the risk of rejection of the wheat on delivery either to the mill or to the port silp for shipment. The actual extent of surplus production this season would not be known until the quantity of wheat produced had. been recorded, he said.

Consequently the Wheat Board intended to carry out a survey of all wheat still available for disposal in all districts as soon as the harvest had been completed. Full information from this survey was expected to be available in April. From the start of the harvest Mr Dunshea said that shipping would be available to start the movement of wheat from South Island ports to the North Island.