‘Aid for farmers likely in Budget’

Press, 1 February 1983, Page 2

‘Aid for farmers likely in Budget’

Parliamentary reporter New Zealand hill country farmers were in dire trouble financially, but any further assistance would probably be Budgetary rather than special, said the Acting Prime Minister, and Minister of Agriculture Mr Maclntyre. , yesterday. He was asked for a response to comments by the president of Federated Farmers, Mr W. R. Storey, on Saturday, in which he called for either increased S.M.P. support or specific .assistance. Mr Maclntyre said that

one estimate put average support to hill country farmers last year at $12,000 a farmer. Their hardship had been aggravated by the drought. However, any further aid was likely to come in the Budget in the form of adjustments to the fertiliser price and S.M.P.s. The Prime Minister. Mr Muldoon, was now waiting for replies from producer boards and Federated Farmers to an invitation for opinions on improvements to or abolition of the S.M.P. system. Mr Maclntyre said. Although there was criticism of the level of support to meat and wool growers, many hill country farmers would have been forced off their farms last year without it. In Europe at the beginning of December last year, subsidies paid to farmers within the E.E.C. were $2OO for a ewe and $l2O to $l3O for a lamb, he said.