NO MARKET FOR GARTON OATS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIII, Issue 22490, 27 January 1943, Page 4

NO MARKET FOR GARTON OATS

Farmers Respond To Appeal

Oatmeal Mills Heavily Stocked (N.Z.P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 26. Farmers, merchants, millers and Primary Production Councils have been placed in an Invidious position through the uncertainty about the marketing of oats grown for oatmeal for wartime demands, according to a statement to-day by Mr A. H. Spratt, president of the North Canterbury Grain Merchants’ Association. Mr Spratt endorsed the statements of Mr A. A. McDonald, the Ashburton president, on which he was asked to comment. “The Government, through the Primary Production Councils,” said Mr Spratt, “called on the fanners to produce, among other things, Garton oats for oatmeal for the soldiers. The grain salesmen, in support of this, advised farmers to grow these oats. The farmers responded wonderfully to the Councils’ appeal, have grown oats and are harvesting the crops, and now no millers will buy them and there is no market, the millers apparently having had no orders placed with them. “The oatmeal mills thoughout New Zealand are heavily stocked with a carry over, and, as far as I can ascertain, the millers have nothing definite from the Government as to whether they are to be given big orders for oatmeal or not. The millers, consequently, do not know where they stand. Meanwhile, I entirely endorse Mr McDonald’s remarks in warning farmers that there is no storage room in town, and that oats are not at present saleable. We must advise them to put their oats in stack, and, if eventually there is no market, it can be used for chaff, etc.” Mr Spratt said that it was considered that calls for primary produce should obviously not be made without the market being assured.