LOWER WHEAT STANDARD

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19802, 18 May 1934, Page 8

LOWER WHEAT STANDARD

NECESSITY IN SOUTH CANTERBURY PRESENT POSITION OF GROWERS The need for the '‘immediate and favourable consideration of a reduction of the standard weight of wheat this year, was impressed on a representative of “The Timaru Herald” yesterday, when opinions were sought on the recent motion passed by the Timaru Agricultural and Pastoral Association. “That the Wheat Purchase Board be asked to endeavour to have the standard weight of wheat reduced this year, and that other A. and P. Associations and branches of the Farmers’ Union be asked to give their support.” It was pointed out by farmers and others interested, that the season in South Canterbury this year had been abnormal, and that if the wheat standard for supplies going into store was to be maintained at 611 b, and wheat under that standard would not be taken into store as milling quality, the position would, so far as growers were concerned, be very serious. “The mills are at present full up, and 75 per cent, of the wheat remaining will not come up to milling standard,” was how one merchant described the position. It would present no end of difficulty if all that wheat was thrown on to a fowl wheat market, when ordinarily it was difficult to secure 2/9 a bushel on trucks for fowl wheat. He felt sure that the Wheat Purchase Board would have to do something in the matter. Milling and Fowl Wheat Compared. “If the present standard of milling wheat of 611 b to the bushel is maintained, very little wheat will pass as milling from this district as the majority weighs 59-601 bto the bushel, ’ was another comment. On an open market this wheat would, he thought, be readily accep 3d as milling, and farmers were faced with having to take fowl wheat prices if the anomaly was not soon rectified. When it was considered that the full milling price for Tuscan was 4 91 a bushel tp millers and the fowl wheat price was 3/3 a bushel f.0.b., the farmer who had wheat a shade under milling should not be penalised to that extent. On the open market fowl wheat used to be about the same price as milling, and to-day the discrepancy was too great. The classification of good whole fowl wheat was wheat containing no broken grain, wheat free from mustiness and broken smut, reasonably free from weed seeds, and weighing not less than 571 b to the bushel. Previously—in 1928 —fowl wheat was accepted at 561 bto the bushel. It was not generally known by farmers that if they had undergrade wheat and it was sold as fowl wheat, it had to be 571 bto pass the grader. The position was serious so far as this district was concerned- and it was earnestly hoped that something would soon be done. Good Baking Tests. A miller pointed out that millers were entitled to reject any lines going below 611 b to the bushel, but so far this season they had accepted many lines below that standard on account of the abnormal weather conditions experienced. There was no doubt that more requirements than usual had been purchased from Mid-Canterbury, where the wheat was in better condition and generally wept the required weight. Another point was that Mid-Canter-bury wheat was always ready earlier than that grown in South Canterbury, especially so this year, It was found, however, the miller pointed out, that many samples of header wheat were on the light side, but it gave a high baking score. It was, however, not the most popular grain with the millers. From tests carried out in South Canterbury, it had been proved that wheat generally this year had given a higher baking score. There had been the natural moisture content in the grain which had helped in the milling process and had improved the baking score.

An Optimistic Note. An optimistic note was sounded by one closely allied with the wheat industry, who pointed out that the Wheat Purchase Board was to consider the question of the standard at a meeting on Wednesday, and he expected that a statement would be issued during the next few days. Grading, he believed, was still being carried out on last year’s standard, and an official of the Wheat Board had recently visited parts of the South Island, with, he thought, the idea of securing data which would have a bearing on the new standard. He felt sure that the Board would have something favourable to communicate shortly.