FERTILIZER CONTROL

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 227, 21 June 1941, Page 4

FERTILIZER CONTROL

Equitable Distribution For Topdressing

STATEMENT BY MINISTER

An assurance that fertilizer requirements for crops would be reasonably met and that the supplies available for topdressing purposes would be equitably distributed was given by the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Barclay, when referring last night to the rationing of superphosphate. He said that committees were being formed in each main centre to consider special eases of hardship or unusual circumstances.

“Though it has been necessary to introduce a rationing scheme for fertilizers, the reductions imposed might have easily been muc-h more diastie than those envisaged in the phospliatie fertilizer control notice?which has recently been gazetted,” said Mr. Barclay. "It must further be borne iu mind that some fertilizers remain entirely unaffected by the notice, such as blood and bone, bonedust, dried blood, potash and inorganic nitrogenous fertilizers. By the use of lime and fertilizers at present not controlled it will be possible for farmers to increase the tonnage of fertilizer received by means of adding these to the quota of phosphate supplied, or having .them added by merchants or manufacturers. Approval of Scheme.

“The policy as outlined iu the notice and the machinery necessary for its administration have been discussed and approved by representatives of the manufacturers, distributors and primary producers," added the Minister. He explained that very careful consideration had been giveu to the information required from farmers, the object being to make returns as simple as possible. At the same -time it Lad been necessary to see that the return was comprehensive and covered nil mixtures as well at “straight” fertilizers. It had also been his desire to disturb as little as possible the relationship existing between merchant and purchaser, and to maintain as far as practicable the state of business dealings existing before the introduction of the scheme. He wanted to impress on all concerned the necessity for completing and returning promptly ail forms which had to be tilled in. hi order that the distribution might bs completely successful, accurate information was important, and the cooperation of ali concerned was solicited. Farmers must realize thatthe success and equity of the Government's proposals depended on prompr attention to the request for returns of fertilizer used, and failure to comply in this respect would result in the individual concerned being missed from allocations.