FARMERS’ OUTLOOK.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 457, 19 May 1932, Page 7

FARMERS’ OUTLOOK.

President Addresses Conference. WHEAT AND MEAT PROBLEMS. Questions affecting improvements in the production and marketing of Canterbury wheat and mutton and lamb were touched on by the president of the North Canterbury branch of the Farmers’ Union (Mr Colin M’lntosh) in his address to the annual provincial conference to-day. The current year had not been without its trials and tribulations for the farming community, stated the president. The wheat crops stood up to the dry conditions remarkably well and were harvested in the earlier districts in excellent condition before the weather broke, but the later areas were caught with a week’s easterly rain and were ruined. The yield this year would be only about 25 to 26 bushels per acre, as against 32 to 33 bushels in recent years. During the year the Government saw fit to reduce the sliding scale of duties on wheat to a price which the Prime Minister said would return to the farmer 4s 6d on trucks. The Wheat Pool Board and the millers made strong representation to the Government that their calculations were wrong and that at the price set for flour the miller could not possibly give more than 4s 4ld for Tuscan and carry on, but it was of no avail. The Government would not alter its decision. Very Heavy Killings. The fattening season for mutton and lamb had been a good one, although it was much too. dry for rape and turnip crops. Feed was scarce in the early part of the season and very heavy killings took place before Christmas. The works opened earlier than usual and, owing to drought conditions prevailing and the fear of prices falling, farmers were induced to send in anything that would kill, with the result that the average weights were lower than in previous years. The amount of stock killed to date showed a considerable increase in both sheep and lambs over last year’s killings for the same period. The Meal Board figures showed that up to April 30 the killings of sheep and lambs were 1,659,085 in excess of last year at the same date, and it was satisfactory to note that most of the excess killings had been shipped. Owing to the low schedule price ruling last year many farmers stored their lambs in the works and shipped on their own account late in the year, and came out very well. A number were doing the same this year, and it would appear that they were on the right lines. He was of the opinion that the slump of the past three weeks was only temporary. Prices had been steady throughout the season at a low level, but with a rising tendency. Valua of Research. The president hoped that there would be no reduction in the carrying on of agricultural research work, which was likely to result in cheaper production, increased yields or better quality of our primary industries. The Wheat Research Institute and Lincoln College were doing a valuable work in trying to combine the heavy yield of Tuscan with the high quality of the stronger wheat, and when that was accomplished there would be no excuse for importations from Australia or Canada. In the meantime he would advise farmers to “ stick to the good old Tuscan and Hunturs.” There was also room for a great Impiovement in pasture grasses. Of the grasses sown to-day 30 to 40 per cent disappeared after the first year, indicating the necessity of glowing only tha permanent strains.