CONCERN ABOUT KARAMU

Press, 18 February 1977, Page 6

CONCERN ABOUT KARAMU

Millers would be presenting a strong case this year for rejection of the Karamu variety of wheat as a milling wheat, the chairman of the New Zealand Flourmillers’ Association, Mr J. K. Ireland, said in a statement this week.

Mr Ireland made the statement following reports of the poor baking quality of early lines of the variety tested from the current harvest. ‘The reports on the quality of • lines of wheat so far received by the Wheat Research Institute make it clear that flour quality this year will be lower than is desirable for bread making purposes,” he said. “It is also apparent that the major influence in this is the variety Karamu, the quality of which is described by Mr R. W. Cawley, the director of the Wheat Research Institute,

as ‘abysmal? So far this harvest 75 per cent of Lie lines of Karamu are unsuitable for bread making purposes and the varietv accounts for about 25 per cent of the area sown in wheat. “Karamu was released in the North Island as a milling wheat in 1972 and North Island millers immediately reported difficulties in using it. In the following year the variety was sown in both islands and because of their earlier experiences millers advertised throughout the country that. Karamu was not acceptable as a milling wheat. “In 1974, because of

climatic conditions which reduced .the supply of New Zealand grown wheat, and because of the popularity of Karamu with farmers, flourmillers were persuaded not to reject the variety and to allow it to be tried for another year. “In 1975, however, Karamu was a disaster because of its variable, unpredictable and generally low baking quality. The quality of flour and bread was badly affected, particularly in the North Island. “Because of this background of experience, the early reports on Karamu which indicate that, if anything, the variety is of even poorer quality this year give cause for the greatest concern. The total yield from the harvest will be much less than originally anticipated and in consequence millers expect that there will be economic reasons put forward for milling Karamu when its quality would otherwise cause it to be rejected. “If millers are obliged to use Karamu the quality of flour and bread will be lower than anyone would wish, and this year milllers will present a strong case for rejecting it as a milling wheat,” said Mr Ireland.