N.Z. WHEATGROWERS

Grey River Argus, 5 July 1944, Page 4

N.Z. WHEATGROWERS

Praised for Efforts NEED FOR CONTINUANCE P.A. CHRISTCHURCH, July 4. The statement that, although Australian wheat could be procured in almost any quantity, the shipping position was still so acute that it was imperative for New Zealand wheatgrowers not to slacken in their efforts, but to do their utmost to sow as great as possible for the harvest of 1945, was made by the Minister of Supply, Hon. D. G. Sullivan to-day. Mr Sullivan said that the quantity of wheat consumed in New Zealand for flour, fowl food and other purposes had greatly increased during the war, and it was now about 1000 tons of wheat per day. Before the war the annual consumption of flour was 146,,000 tons. This year it would be at least 186,000 tons.

"The public should realise that the wheatgrowers of the Dominion have contributed very greatly to the Avar effort by their increased production of wheat,,during the last five years,” said Mr Sullivan. Compared Avith the five harvests immediately before the war, this increase amounted to a total of 8,488,000 bushels, or approximately 248,000 tons. Had it not been for this additional effort on the nart of the wheatgrowers, New Zealand would have been in a very poor position for wheat supplies, because, although plenty of wheat was available in Australia, the shipping problem was so great that it would have been impossible to have imported the extra 240,000 tons, grown by our own wheatgrowers. As it was, all the available, shipping space was used to maintain the heavy reserves built up in 1939, and these reserves are still being maintained by importation of Australian wheat, whenever space is available. It is now permissible to make public the fact that only by the increased efforts of the wheatgrowers in New Zealand during the war years, was a serious flour supply position avoided,” concluded Mr Sullivan. “I thank them for their work and trust that they will continue to produce this vital munition of war.”