USE OF FERTILISER

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 145, 21 June 1941, Page 12

USE OF FERTILISER

RATIONING SCHEME

EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION

The Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Barclay) gave an assurance last night that under the rationing scheme, fertiliser requirements for crops would be met reasonably and available supplies for topdressing purposes would be distributed equitably. Committees were being formed in each main centre to consider special cases of hardship or unusual circumstances.

"Though it has been necessary to introduce a rationing scheme for fertilisers, the reductions imposed might have easily been much more drastic than those envisaged in the phosphatic fertiliser control notice which has recently been gazetted," said Mi;. Barclay. "It must further be botne in mind that some fertilisers remain entirely unaffected by the notice, such as blood and bone, bonedust, dried blood, potash, and inorganic nitrogenous fertilisers. By the use of lime and fertilisers at present not controlled it will be possible for farmers to increase the tonnage of fertiliser received by means of adding these to the quota of phosphate supplied, or having them added by merchants or manufacturers. Mr. Barclay said that the rationing scheme had been approved by the representatives of the manufacturers, distributors, and primary producers. He wanted to impress on all concerned the necessity for completing and returning promptly all forms which had to be filled in. In order that the distribution might be completely successful, accurate information was important, and the co-operation of all concerned was solicited. Farmers must realise that the success and equity of the Government's proposals depended on prompt attention to the request for returns of fertiliser used, and failure to comply in this respect would result in the individual concerned being missed from allocations.