USE OF FERTILISERS

Taranaki Daily News, 18 March 1940, Page 11

USE OF FERTILISERS

MIXTURES OR STRAIGHT QUESTION OF POTASH ADVICE TO FARMERS "That. in view of the indefinite position relating both to supplies of fertiliser and to the price to be charged, the National Council be urged to seek an immediate statement from the Minister on . the matter." I This motion was passed by the North Taranaki Council of Primary Production after considering correspondenee and reports dealing with the fertiliser position. There was scope for assistance by district councils in publicity efforts advising farmers to use less made-up mixtures and more straight manures, or to do ! their own mixing. wrote Mr. R. B. Ten'■nent, Director of Primary Production, in advising the North Taranaki Council of Primary Production that the question of potash supplies had been dealt with by the Department of Agriculture. Merchants and fertiliser companies, wrote Mr. Tennent, had been asked to fall in with the suggestion made by the council at its last meeting, but one of the difficulties arose from the fact that mixed manures were more profitable to the merchants, and naturally they were not keen to reduce tnese saies. Fixed Standards. Mr. Tennent pointed out that to lay down standard mixtures presented enormous difficulties in view of the absence of experimental or other evidence on the value of mixed manures. At present 730 mixed manures were registered in New Zealand, but it was felt that this number could be reduced to not more than 50. Negotiations regarding fertiliser prices were in their final stages. added Mr. Tennent, and the price of superphosphate had been fixed at £3 16s per ton lintil July 31 ' next. This price applied to superphosphate used in mixture, and in addition the price of ground phosphate had also been stabilised.

Use of Fertiliser. That the National Council of Primary Production thoroughly appreciated what the utilisation of fertiliser meant in production and had given a great deal of attention to the district council's recommendation that a subsidy on all fertilisers and lime would tend to hasten an increase xn production was stated by Mr. R. B. Tennent in repiy to another communication from the district council. The whole position of subsidies, he wrote, was being considered by the Minister of Finance, and the Department of Agriculture was continually giving attention to other aspects of the position. It was felt. also, that farmers might be able to do something in the direction of improving their top-dressing technique, and the council was asked to devote ^its attention to this factor. Later, the National Council proposed to issue a cir- | cular covering the use of mixed manures I for top-dressing in which there was I scope for economy in use. | Price Going Up. Following a report on a discussion at the last meeting of the Farmers' Union executive in Wellington by Mr. H. E. Blyde, Mr. L. J. Rundle mentioned that merchants had freely stated that the price of fertilisers was going to advance as from the 15th of the present month. Mr. Blyde, chairman of the meeting; "1 understand that many farmers who have placed orders for various kinds of fertiliser have expressed their intention of cancellation if the price rises. That is a serious matter because it will tend to lower production rather than increase it just at a critical time.