PRICES OF FERTILISERS

Taranaki Daily News, 5 August 1930, Page 10

PRICES OF FERTILISERS

COMPARISON WITH ENGLAND STATEMENT BY MINISTER. Mr. 11. A. Hunt, secretary of the Stratford branch of the Farmers’ Union, recently communicated with Mr. W. J. Polson,* M.P., asking for an inquiry into the apparently excessive price paid in New Zealand for fertilisers as compared with the British prices. Mr. Hunt claimed that after allowing for freight and other charges the price to the New Zealand producer was out of all pro-

portion. Mr. Hunt quoted rates ruling in. Britain and in the Dominion to support his contention. For instance, a Devonshire farmer, a member of the overseas touring party, had said he procured 30 per cent, elag delivered at £2 12s 6d per ton and mentioned that the railage from the north of . England to Devon was practically as much as direct shipping to New Zealand, where the price demanded was £6 per ton for a lower grade article. Similarly, 50 per cent, super-phosphate was sold at £3 12s 6d per ton at Home, while New Zealand farmers had to pay £5 a ton for the 42/44 per cent, grade, despite the fact that New Zealand was nearer the source of supply. After mentioning that dairy companies in Taranaki would most likely assist in financing the purchase of cheaper fertilisers Mr. Hunt went on to recall that during last season’ five or six ships came to New Zealand in ballast, but before the war most shipping preferred to carry manure at a few shillings a ton rather than sail in ballast.

The matter was referred by Mr. Polson to the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. A. J. Murdoch) whose reply quotes approximate cash prices of the main fertilisers in New Zealand and the corresponding prices in Great Britain for the same grades, f.o.r. in both cases as follows; —-Super-phosphate 44/46, Great Britain £4 2s, New Zealand £4 17s Gd; basic slag 17/20, £2 15s and £4 15s; 30 per cent, potash salts, £5 and £6 10s; sulphate of potash £ll 7s 6d and £l-1 7s Gd.

With regard to basic slag, continued the Minister, there was certainly a good deal of difference, but he drew attention to the fact that the 30 per cent, slag quoted by Mr. Hunt was a low grade containing only 14 per cent, of phosphorio acid and varied in price in Great Britain, depending upon the situation of the works, from £1 16s to £2 7s. Slag imported to New Zealand,

however, wae of a high grade quality containing 17 to 20 per cent, of acid and equivalent to nearly 40 per cent, tricalcie phosphate. Mr. Hunt had stated the price of slag in New Zealand at £6 a ton, but the regular f.o.r, quotation for 17/20 slag was only £4 15s. Probably the £6 a ton referred to a special grade higher than 17/20 per cent, and included carriage and handling charges to Stratford.

“As a good deal of slag sold in New Zealand is imported by the National Dairy Association it can be assumed the selling price would not be of such a nature as to give a great deal of unreasonable ’profit,” stated the letter.

The Minister thought some misunderstanding existed regarding superphosphate because there was no grade of 50 per cent, on the English market, where the standard grade was from 28 to 35 per cent. Oh the other hand, the standard grade in New Zealand was 44/46 per cent. The present English price of a 33 per cent, super was about £3 7s. The explanation of the lower quality but cheaper article as used in England was mainly that the raw phosphate was obtained in 'North Africa and was of a much lower grade than that derived from Nauru and Ocean Islands. It had, however, the advantage of a very low sea freight—about 7s to 9s per ton as compared with about three times that amount which New Zealanders had to pay on Nauru and Ocean Island raw phosphate. Landing and other charges were higher ■in New Zealand than in Britain. He had not the exact English figures, but the cost of landing and forwarding phosphate in New Zealand was 4s 9d per ton at Auckland. 7s 7-Id per ton at New Plymouth, and Ss 2d per ton at Wanganui.’ Stevedoring charges at Auckland ran from Is 7d to 2s Id per ton, 3s 2d per ton plus miscellaneous charges at New Plymouth and 3s 3d plus miscellaneous charges at Wanganui. The Minister approved of .Mr. Hunt’s suggestion that the Dominion secretary of the Farmers’ Union get into direct communication with manufacturers and importers regarding the import of supplies. He understood that a number of dairy companies already secured supplies of slag through the N.D.A., and no doubt super-phosphate importers in New Zealand would be willing to quote prices for bulk delivery on a similar basis. In the Minister's opinion it would be a retrograde step to import low grade super-phosphate. Any further information his department could supply would be freely given. PERSONAL. The Rev. Father Uhlcnberg, Masterton, is spending a month's holiday with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. Uhlenber", Waipuku. Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Walker,’ Auckland, are spending a few days with Mr. and Mrs. 1,. J. Lentell, Stratford.