Major exports initiated by company

Press, 8 May 1978, Page 31

Major exports initiated by company

The company, which has developed a substantial export trade in grain, seeds and other primary produce to more than 20 countries, is helping to pioneer a novel trade which is likely to become of increasing benefit to New Zealand crop farmers and the nation generally. This new facet of New Zealand’s agriculture industry is the multiplication, under contract to overseas merchants, of new varieties of grain and seeds developed in overseas countries.

New Zealand’s special role in this venture results from the efficiency of its cropping farmers, the advantages of this country’s climate for the propagation of the seed stock, and the relative freedom from crop diseases.

The country’s situation in the Southern Hemisphere, with a growing season opposite to the northern hemisphere, is also a major factor in its being keenly sought for this intensive new industry. The idea behind the scheme is that seed cultivars developed by agricultural scientists overseas

can be multiplied twice as quickly to commercial quantities for cultivation by farmers in these countries, if the seed stock is transported to New Zealand after harvesting. It is then sown by New Zealand farmers under contract to companies such as Woodham’s, which initiate the arrangement. Thus two harvests, instead of one, can be obtained in a year, quickly building up the quantity of available seed of newly-devel-oped lines.

The main countries which send seed cultivars to Woodham’s for propagation by local farmers are England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United States, and Japan. The company’s export manager (Mr Ross Smith) said this trade was something really new, and had outstanding potential for future development, providing New Zealand farmers with a new avenue of farm production. Mr Smith said New Zealand grew some of the best quality seed in the world, and was able to grow and process to the quality desired by the overseas merchants.

A fortnight ago, a firm in the United Kingdom cabled Woodham’s seeking to have a line of grass seed multiplied in New Zealand. Because of the lateness of the season the seed was air freighted from London in four days, and was sown on local farms within a week. The resultant crop, after harvesting and dressing, will

be returned to the London merchants. Because of the potential of this trade the company has a part share in a trial farm to test some of the lines for multiplication. This enables a close study of the germination and performance of the breed, so that it can be supplied to the contract growers with confidence. Woodham’s has been a

major exporter of pasture seeds, grain, peas, potatoes, vegetable seeds and other lines for a nurhber of years. These consignments amount to thousands of tonnes annually, to countries including England, France, Germany and Australia. Mr Smith said the company was also building up markets rapidly in Japan, Taiwan, and to Mediterra-

nean countries, and was endeavouring to increase trade with countries behind the Iron Curtain. It had already sold pasture seed to some of the Iron Curtain countries. The company' has also arranged exports of luxury crops such as strawberries and asparagus from local growers to markets in London, Tokyo and Honolulu.