Premium, discounts, for 1981 wheat

Press, 23 April 1980, Page 3

Premium, discounts, for 1981 wheat

i The only change in the [ premiums and discounts that will apply to wheat har- ■ vested next year is that the discount on Karamu wheat in the North Island will be 71 per cent instead of 15 per cent. The arrangements for the next harvest were made by the Wheat Board yesterday. The general manager of the board (Mr A. G. Elliott) said afterwards that the Wheat Board, Act, 1965, established the board as the sole buyer and seller of milling grade wheat. Among ita functions under the act it was required “to encourage the use of wheat grown in New Zealand.” To be successful in this, the board believed that, as far as was practicable, the wheat it supplied must meet the quality needs of the market, Mr Elliott said.

The price, premium, and discount system was the means by which the board could encourage the growing of those wheat varieties with better than standard quality characteristics and for which market demand exceeded supply, and limit the growing of varieties with less than standard quality characteristics and for which supply exceeded demand. It also enabled encouragement to be given to the growing of wheat varieties in areas best suited to their quality characteristics. After consideration of market demand and supply, the board had fixed the following premium and discounts for wheat harvest next year:

Hilgendorf, a premium of 20 per cent on the price for standard quality wheats. Arawa: a discount of 5 per cent on the price for standard quality wheats. South Island Karamu: a discount of 15 per cent on the price for standard quality wheats. North Island Karamu: a discount of 7| per cent on the price for standard quality wheats.