Case for maintaining wheat acreage

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33386, 19 November 1973, Page 14

Case for maintaining wheat acreage

Wheat production in New Zealand is important not only to attain the country's requirements but also because of the key role of wheat in cropping programmes and in pastoral farming on suitable land, according to the chairman of the Wheatgrowers’ Sub-section of Federated Farmers (Mr J. H. Mitchell).

i On the basis of inquiries I made in Wellington last week, I Mr Mitchell said, he had learned that the Government was considering growers’ submissions on the wheat price for the 1974-75 season; but it now seemed unlikely that the Government would be able to make an announcement until next month. Growers, he said, were keenly awaiting the Government’s decision on this question. Today, perhaps more than ever before, it seemed only logical that New Zealand should strive to the utmost to achieve self-sufficiency in wheat and other grains, said Mr Mitchell. PLACE IN CROPPING Wheat production had a place in intensive and diversified cropping programmes. Mr Mitchell said, in outlining general advantages of a policy of selfsufficiency. Under modem farming methods, soil fertility could still be maintained. Intensive cropping could play a major role in increasing meat and wool production through, for example, feeding of grain to sheep and cattle in the winter and in times of drought, and also through the provision of straw for use as roughage. When handled in bulk by mechanical means and with a minimum of labour grain was more economical than hay and some other supplementary feeds, he said. Over large areas of the South Island, grain production also helped in pasture renewal and grass-grub control. It could also assist in regional development. All the points made by Mr Mitchell were perfectly valid, said Professor J. D. Stewart, professor of farm management at Lincoln College and principal-designate, when Mr

Mitchell’s statement was referred to him. But historically, wheat and sheep production had been in competition, and while prime lamb and wool iprices were high it could be argued that the cost of importing wheat was compensated for by exports of lamb and wool, Professor Stewart said. However, it was not possible to achieve a counterbalancing increase in sheep numbers in the short run. STOCK FEEDING It seemed that grain production would have a much greater impact in the future in stock feeding, said the director of the economic service of the Meat and Wool Boards (Mr F. L. Ward). This was particularly because grain could be stored more economically than other more bulky foods. Young pastures were also more productive than run-out old pastures, and the growing of grain crops, including wheat, fitted into the pasturerenewal process.