ARTIFICIAL MANURE PROBLEM.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VI, Issue 268, 28 October 1916, Page 6

ARTIFICIAL MANURE PROBLEM.

THE NEW CO-OPERATIVE COY. The flotation of the N.Z. Farmers’ Co-operative Fertiliser Co. has met with a remarkable spontaneous response throughout the Dominion. With the resu.ts so far achieved it is evident that the N.Z. Fanners are in entire sympathy with the movement , and they have entered into a project that is of vital importance to the welfare of tfie whole Dominion. The latest • I’tet ; .; sup'>.-,)h.i-phut---. per ton is , . A -.u. I 3 > 15 - N.Z. ; Whv there should be a difference of over 50 per cent, in price is a question which the farmer might well investigate, more especially when the fact is realised that the phosphate rock is obtained from the same fields, also that they are very much nearer to New Zealand than any other country. These facts certain.y give to the farmer an uncomfortable feeling that he has been and is being exploited and one cannot ■wonder at their retaliating by the formation of their own company, which is erecting a huge automatic plant and obtaining the services and support ot the most experienced scientific men in the Dominion. The enormous amount of freight on the Japanese, Engl:-:.. American and Australian f.o.b. prices enables the New Zealand manufacturer to sell his manures at an enormous profit through this apparent foreign freight protection. For instance the f.o.b. prices a year ago in U.S.A, and Eng.and were £3 per ton, Japan £3 5 Australia £3 17 6 and New Zealand £5 10 -. The imported article rby no means a high grade superphosphate, for in foreign countries they possess fields of a very poor grade and the Parific Island phosphate which is the highest grade in the world is mixed with the poorer class. The Co-operative Company have obtained concessions in the Pacific Islands which this country’ is so near to, consequently the farmer shareholder will be certain of the highest grade and purest manure possible to obtain, ihe saving to be effected to each individual fanner wi.l be enormous. For instance if he uses 2*l tons of artificial manures a year and the equivalent number of shares is bought, he will save at the very lowest £2 per ton on pre war prices, i.e., £4O per year. Only half his £5 shares will be called up and on his 20 shares he has invested £5O, in addition receives the balance of profit in form of rebate on every ton per share bought. The company's plant will manufacture 60.'W0 tons of superphosphate annually an 1 consequently are only issuing 6>.‘.J00 shares, equivalent to one ton per share. The bulk of these shares have already been taken up and the number allotted to Hawke’s Bay farm-1 ers axe rapidly being absorbed. 1