PRICE OF FERTILISERS

Waipa Post, Volume 42, Issue 3304, 2 June 1931, Page 5

PRICE OF FERTILISERS

ACTION OF FARMERS’ UNION.

Te Awamutu branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union is very keen to have the price of fertilisers reduced. A month ago the subject was discussed, and the secretary was instructed to make inquiries. At last Saturday’s meeting the concensus of replies read was by no means encouraging, and members expressed disappointment. The manager, Farmers’ Fertiliser Company, Auckland, wrote at some length. He mentioned, inter alia, that “ as things are at present one works could more than cater for the requirements of'the whole province; but maybe later the demand will be so large as to require all the works to operate. ... We cannot help observing that while farmers are concerned with regard to the cost of the locallymanufactured article, very little real assistance is forthcoming from the farmers. For instance, since January of this year something like 60,000 tons of slag have been imported to Auckland. If this tonnage had been taken up by the farmers in superphosphate it is safe to say that our costs would be on a lower level with lower prices to the farmer. Of course we know slag has its place as a top-dressing fertiliser, but we are satisfied at the same time that an application ot ground limestone and superphosphate, both of which are in the Dominion, would give equally good results. . . Such a proposition as your Union proposes would be possible only by bringing about rationalisation of the industry, and this is a matter which presents difficulties, with probable disadvantages to one or other of the manufacturers in the event of such a scheme burg finalised. It looks as if we shall have to carry on and hope for better times.” Communications on the same subject were received from the Prime Minister, the Minister of Agriculture, and Messrs W. J. Broadfoot, M.P.. W. L. Martin, M.P., and H.' M. Rushworth, M.P. It was stated that there was a likelihood of the fertiliser companies making a reduction in, the coits of 2s 6d per ton on all orders as from Ist May. „ • a i The correspondence was received.