THE 1939 WHEAT HARVEST

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20893, 24 November 1937, Page 8

THE 1939 WHEAT HARVEST

PRICE LIKELY TO BE 5 9 A BUSHEL ANNOUNCEMENT MADE BY MR SULLIVAN By Telegraph—Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, November 23. It is probable that the price to be paid to farmers for wheat harvested in 1939 will be 59 a bushel f.o.b. This was foreshadowed by the Minister of Industries and Commerce, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, in a telegram to Mr H. F. Nicoll, president of the United Whertgrowers (N.Z), Ltd., which held its annual conference to-day. In his telegraphed message the Minister said “Kindly inform through their delegates all wheatgrowers that present conditions, as well as the facts recently disclosed by my personal investigation, give me solid reasons for believing that the price for the 1938-39 crop will be about the same as that recently announced for the coming harvest. I am making this announcement early in order that wheat farmers may know in plenty of time what to expect, and in doing so I express a hope that the acreage next year will be increased greatly and provide a sufficient yield for the Dominion’s full requirements during the year 1938-39. I realise that a much greater acreage would have been planted this year had it not been for the abnormally adverse weather conditions, the detrimental results of which I saw personally when I recently inspected the wheat areas." The Minister's message was in reply to a resolution from the Electoral Committee of United Wheatgrowers (N.Z.) Ltd., thanking him for his efforts on behalf of the wheatgrowing industry, and affirming its belief that the price fixed for 1938 was fair and reasonable, that the wheat and flour control scheme was the best yet devised and admirable for its purpose, and that the short acreage sown this season was not due to any lack of effort on the part of wheatgrowers. Messrs A. Craig (Clydevale), R. T. McMillan (Irwell), and W. W. Mulholland iDarfield', the retiring directors, were re-elected unopposed. Mr H. F. Nicholl was re-elected chairman.

NEW PURCHASE SYSTEM MoioiLßE CONTENT THE BASIS By Telegraph—Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, November 23. An important announcement involving the adoption of a new principle, that of payment for wheat on moisture content, was made to-day by the chairman, Mr H. F Nicoll. at the annual meeting of the Electoral Cor.mlttee of United Wheatgrowers (N.Z.) Ltd. The Wheat Committee had, he said, taken a great step forward in its decision to adopt a system by which moisture content was to be taken into consideration in the purchase of wheat. The proposals, which were to come into force with next year’s harvest, had been endorsed by the Electoral Committee before being finally adopted. “Our attitude in this matter,” continued Mr Nicoll, "should remove any suggestion that wheatgrowers are apathetic concerning the condition of their wheat, and we are prepared to stand behind the Wheat Committee in its efforts to improve the quality of wheat, flour and bread.”

The system to be adoptee, will provide as follows: (a) The maximum moisture content for flour to be fixed at 15 per cent. (b) Wheat may be delivered up to 155 per cent moisture content without any adjustment in price, but that where wheat contains more than the 155 per cent an adjustment as provided below must be made, the method of test to be the Carter-Simon process and any dispute in regard t moisture content to be referred to the Wheat Research Institute whose decision shall be final. (c) For wheat containing between 15.6 per cent to 165 per cent of moisture a deduction of 4d a bushel shall be made, and millers shall be prohibited from accepting and farmers from delivering as f.a.q. milling quality any wheat containing more than 165 per cent moisture. No allowance for dockage will be made to the miller, but the 4d a bushel will be retained by the Wheat Committee provided that it will be permissible for millers to dry wheat on behalf of the grower to the requisite moisture content, charging the grower for the same and purchasing the wheat on the basis of 15 per cent moisture content. Millers will be given warrants only on condition that they sign an undertaking to deduct the above mentioned d okage and not to accept wheat of more than 16.5 per cent moisture.