POULTRY FEED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23224, 23 June 1937, Page 10

POULTRY FEED

EXCESSIVELY HIGH PRICE GOVERNMENT CONTROL CRITICISED UNECONOMIC STATE OF INDUSTRY <SrEciAL to Daily Times) AUCKLAND, June 22. The statement that in the last few months 29 commercial poultrykeepers had been forced out of business on account of the uneconomic state of the industry was made by one of the largest producers in the Auckland district, when discussing the urgent need of a review by the Government of the prices of poultry feed.

"The plight of egg-producers today, and over the past 12 months in particular, has undoubtedly been due to Government control of feed," he continued. Because the price of eggs happened to be high at the moment, the public and critics concluded that large profits were being made and that the industry was flourishing Even with good prices, however, the margin of profit over the excessive cost of feed did not allow of a sufficient reserve being built up to offset the losses which would be incurred in the flush of the production season when eggs were returning only lOd a dozen to the producer. The producer said he bought feed in large quantities and at the best possible rates but, notwithstanding that advantage, the high price could not be faced unless something was done to ensure a better return in the coming season. ' "About 18 months ago 1 was buying poultry wheat at 5s a bushel, and the best quotation I can get today is 6s 9d, ex wharf, cash with order," he continued. The prices per bushe.' for barley in the same period were 3s 4d and 6s sd, maize 3s lOd and 6s, and pollard, previously bought in large lots at £5 16s to £6 a ton, was now quoted at £lO 5s a ton. "The Government must accept some of the blame at least for our troubles," the producer said. It had not responded to the requests to obtain wheat from Australia when it was realised last December that supplies were to be short. Sprouted wheat which had been supplied was detrimental to the production of eggs, as' it did pot enable the birds to build up their condition.

Another producer said it had been proved that as a result of the inferior quality of the wheat, pullets had not come into profit at the time they were expected to. Since June, 1934, the price of wheat had advanced from 4s 6d a bushel to 7s 2d to-day, and maize from 4s 4d to 6s Bd. These were the prices quoted from bills in the producers' hands. "The ihjustice being meted out to poultry producers in the high prices they are compelled to pay for feed calls for the strongest protest," said an official of the Manukau and Franklin District Council of the New Zealand Poultry Producers' Federation. Individual protests had been made without avail and it would only be through the producers speaking in one voice through their organisation that any redress would be obtained. Poultry-keepers resented the fact that Government assistance was granted to wheatgrowers, whose nroduce was about £1,000,000 less in value annually than the egg production trade. " We do not want to deny wheatgrowers the financial assistance to which they may have just claims, but we do object to it being provided at our expense," he added.