USE OF FERTILISERS

Otago Witness, Issue 4048, 13 October 1931, Page 17

USE OF FERTILISERS

ASSISTING THE FARMER REDUCTION IN PRICE ANNOUNCED. WELLINGTON. October 9. As part of a determined effort to assist farmers to maintain the volume of production at the lowest possible overhead cost the Government has decid. I to fix the lower price of fertiliser as from Monday next. The Alinister of Agriculture (Air D. Jones), in a statement this evening, said that the great reduction in the amount of fertilisers used in the Dominion of late, resulting from the decreased buying power of the farmers, was causing the Government grave concern. The welfare of the whole community was so entirely dependent upon the export trade in primary products that it was necessary that no effort should be spared not only to maintain the volume of output but to increase it as much as possible. In this fertilisers played a most important part. While the use of fertilisers for topdressiug was increasing among the sheep farmers by far the greater pro portion used in the Dominion was fol the purpose of topdressing the pastures on dairy farms, and the necessity foi this was being increased by the intensive nature of the dairy farming carried out in many districts. The marked reduction in the amount of topdressing which had taken place created a grave risk of a quick falling off of dairy production particularly, which would be rapidly accentuated as time went on unless a reversion to adequate fertilising was brought about. With a full appreciation of this the Government had decided to set aside £lOO.OOO for the purpose of providing a subsidy upon the selling price of highgrade superphosphate as in an effort to get production to as high a level as possible phosphatic fertilisers were most essential. All our superphosphate was manufactured from phosphate rock supplied from deposits in which the Dominion had a large financial interest, and due regard had been given to this whei. cossidering the subsidy proposed. Consideration was also given- to phosphatic fertilisers and others of overseas origin, but after carefully weighing all the facts it was decided to limit the subsidy to 44-4 G per cent, superphosphate. Alanu- ‘ facturers would make a substantial con- ! cession to supplement the Government's ; action, and as from Alonday next the ; cash price on trucks at works in the North Island and at free delivery points : in the South Island would be reduced ! to £3 17s 6d a ton. The matter was to ’ | come up for review in June next.