Aust, import upsets Canty wheatgrowers

Press, 24 January 1987, Page 3

Aust, import upsets Canty wheatgrowers

A shipment of 5000 tonnes of Australian wheat, expected to arrive at Auckland on Sunday, has upset Canterbury wheat-growers who claim the importation is unnecessary as it will undermine the marketing of the new season’s crop. The wheat is being imported by the Wheat Board as part of its normal programme of ensuring sufficient wheat is available to mills during the period from the end of one season to the start of the next. Growers estimate there are 15,000 tonnes of wheat available already from the 1987 New Zealand harvest which is about two weeks earlier than usual. The chairman of United Wheatgrowers, Mr Mervyn Gray, of Ashburton, said the importation was a slap in the face for growers because it was occurring only a week before the wheat industry was being deregulated. The Australian shipment would allow mills to top up their wheat supplies and go into deregulation with two to three months supply on hand, he said. “This will place growers at a serious disadvantage and prejudice their opportunity of marketing their new season’s crop.” Mr Gray said there were still 2000 tonnes of wheat, which met the board’s milling quality

standards, awaiting disposal from the 1986 harvest.

Wheatgrowers have asked the Customs Department to investigate the possibility of applying countervailing duties or anti-dumping regulations to the imported shipment. The general manager of the Wheat Board, Mr Guy Elliott, said the shipment would complete the 1986 marketing season for the board. Because of deregulation, the board would not be involved in the marketing of the 1987 crop.

Although aware that the 1987 harvest was earlier than usual, the board did not know how much of this early wheat was contracted to mills. The board was obliged to ensure sufficient wheat was available to mills, during the carryover from one season to the next.

The board has imported 12,000 tonnes of Australian wheat this season, compared with 71,500 last season.

The chairman of the New Zealand Flour Millers’ Association, Mr Roger Keenan, said the importations of Australian hard wheat had enabled mills to use some of the lower quality and noncontract New Zealand wheat in blends.

This week-end’s shipment was destined mostly

for mills in Auckland city, said Mr Keenan. He suggested the 15,000 tonnes estimated to be available from the 1987 New Zealand harvest might be contracted to South Island mills and therefore unavailable for Auckland. Mr Keenan said the 2000 tonnes of wheat left from the 1986 harvest had been rejected because it did not meet contract requirements. “Everyone has given their best shot to clear that wheat.” Early samples from this season’s crop had shown baking scores of milling wheat between 16 and 24, said Mr Keenan.

The Minister of Agriculture, Mr Moyle, said this week that if subsidised wheat and flour was imported to New Zealand, the Government would have no qualms about applying countervailing duties.

When imports injured local industry, assistance would be available through the temporary safeguard authority which was open to wheat farmers, he said.

The Industries Safeguard Bill which provides for the establishment of the authority is at present before a Parliamentary select committee. Until then, the emergency protection authority could be used.