INCREASED AREA

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 118, 22 May 1925, Page 7

INCREASED AREA

INDUCEMENTS TO FARMERS.

(81 TELEGRAPH—PRESS. ASSOCIATION.)

CHRISTCHURCH, 21st May. As-a result of Wednesday's conference between representatives "of the Flourmillers' Association and the wheat growers, the Wheat Board has issued the following official statement :— "Negotiati°ns as to the prices for 1846 wheat between representatives of the FlourmiUers' Association and wheatgrowers were satisfactorily concluded at a conference held on 20tli May, on lines announced by the Minister of Aericul-ture-viz., Tuscan 6s 5d per bushel U>.h ; Hunters, 6s 7d per bushel, f.o.b • Pearl, 6s 9d per bushel, f.o.b. All that remains to be.done is to settle the less important details of the arrangement and get ,t put in proper legal form, which will be clone as soon as possible. " It should be clearly understood that this agreement applies only to wheat coming to harvest in 1926. It has been concluded now in order that farmers should be assured of the above prices for wheat which they sow this year. As all farmers know, the area of land sown in wheat last year was very much below what is required to supply the eight million bushels necessary for flour poultry feed, and seed. When last yeaA wheat was sown farmers did not know what price they would get for it but m view of the fact that 6 S> which was then asked for, could not be assured, it was not surprising that a small area was sown.

Now that farmers know they -will get 6s 5d for Tuscan next year the conference .hopes and believes that'they will make an effort to show' how much they can increase the wheat' area It is of the utmost importance that this should be done, as if farmers' wh «X areas are substantially short again in IMb the only conclusion that can be drawn is that farmers cannot or will not grow it, and in that case they cannot expect to receive any further assistance or consideration from the Government or anyone else. J' The conference decided that an earnest appeal should be made to wheat growers with suitable land to put i n every acr e that they possibly can „ wheat this year. A 30-bushel crop at os od means a gross return of £9 igj 6d