CEREAL SUPPLIES

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 15 March 1926, Page 5

CEREAL SUPPLIES

* INFLUENCE OF IMPORTATIONS OUTSIDE COMPETITION AT LOWER PRICES. (By Telegraph.—Special to The Star.) WELLINGTON, March 13. The produce trade in Wellington has taken full advantage of the permit system for the importation of wheat, but there is likely to be some difFiculty ill securing regular outside supplies, owing to the great demand-for space from Australian ports to New Zealand. Wheat was landed this week from the Manuka, and there are, consignments under permit arriving by the Kaiwarra, Moeraki, and Kaitoke, at a price " enabling fowl wheat to be sold to poultry owners at 3s per bushel. As Australian flour can be landed in Wellington or Auckland to-dav ior £l7 10s per ton. duty and all cfiarges paid, the opinion of merchants is that New Zealand millers will not be able to pay the prices asked for New Zealand wheat and that serious difficulties: will shortly arise. There is also outside competitibn in . pollard, which is offering from Vancouver at a. price equal to that of the New Zealand article delivered in North Island ports. The pressure of competition from out side is more severe in connection with oats, as Canadian oatmeal can be landed at Wellington and Auckland at £lB 10s per ton, against the New Zealand quotation of about £24 per ton. The latter price is expected to ease when the full harvest is available from Southland, but local opinion is that the margin is so great in favour of overseas oats that the North Island will have to rely largely on outside sources for its supplies.