SHORTAGE OF MANURES

Marlborough Express, Volume LIIII, Issue 82, 8 April 1920, Page 4

SHORTAGE OF MANURES

A SERIOUS POSITION.

REDUCED QUANTITIES AND INCREASED PRICES.

A northern farmer states that pastures everywhere are suffering through the* inability of farmers to obtain manure for top dressing, while cropping, operations had been..* seriously restricted owing to the manure shortage. Referring to prices* he said that superphosphate, which was obtainable in pre-war times at about £4 a ton, was now £10 ji ton, and only la very .limited Ripply was available. -Bonedust 1. which cost from £7 to £S a ton in 1914, was now £17 or £13 a ton when it could be obtained;, while basic, slag was practically unprocurable. The shortage is attributable te the cutting off of many sources- of supply during th© war and to the dislocation of shipping owing to the-'same cause. _ As regards superphosphates it is estimated that 70 per cent, of tho" quantity of this manure used m the Dominiqn prior tothe war was imported, much of it: coming from Australia. During tho last few years tJio Commonwealth has absorbed all the , supei«phospha.te manufactured! in that country, andt its export-*to New Zealand has been, prohibited. , Extensi/o new works, are being established in the Dominion for the manufacture of manures, and it is anticipated that t.he production or superphosphate will be very largolyi increased during the' present year. New Zealand "ompanies. woiua, |>c producing superphosphates m time for the next spring sowing. It was hoped to be-able to supply manure for this autumn sowing, but some essential machinery for works had still to come* to hand. Some. 60.000 to 70,000 tons a. year would be turned out, -and with 'itttlo additional expenditure would be> able to produce 120,000 tons annually. . .„ In reference to the pile© or manures. It was impossible at present to accurately estimate the cost- of : production. As far ar. suporphosphabo ; was concerned, the price would j greatly depend upon the freight i charges,, cs* the. cost of the raw. : mateml had not increased. At j present the farmer.? wore net fo much j concerned! about the cost of manure as about the difficulty of obtaining it., i Many formers were prepared to pay; 1 considerably more thsui the marketi j quotations." providing they could, ob- i tain supplies. This position would b& I considerably improved: by additional • production in the dominion, and n» Gioubt old channels or supply ffowa also bo re-oponcd when the present shipping difficulty had been over-r come.