Cheap Barley and Follard

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 60, Issue 2, 15 February 1940, Page 92

Cheap Barley and Follard

Importations from Australia Available To Farmers for Pig Feed

R. B. TENNENT,

Director oF Primary Production.

ON the recommendation of the National Council of Primary Production the Government has made ; arrangements for the importation of Australian barley and pollard into the North Island to assist dairy farmers in increasing their output of pigs of bacon weight. , The Imperial Government’s request that 75 per . cent, of pigs exported should be more than 1001 b. weight has upset the balance in pig feeding obtained by marketing pigs either at pork or bacon weights according to the sufficiency of milk supplies. If no steps had been taken to secure additional feeding stuffs a decline in pig production would have been in- ' evitable, and, for reasons well known to all farmers, an increase in pig production is imperative. . Accordingly an appeal was made to farmers to increase the acreage of crops for their pigs and judging by the increased crops in most of the dairying districts, there has been a very good response to this appeal. As most dairyfarms have, of necessity, been limited to the growing of root crops which, by themselves or in

combination with small amounts of meat-meal or milk, do not constitute a fattening ration, it was necessary to obtain additional supplies of such hard feed as barley and pollard. The Wheat Controller has arranged importations of Australian pollard, which is ' now available to North Island farmers at prices ranging from £ 6 14s 5d to £ 6 19s 4d per ton according to port of entry. These prices refer to cash sales of minimum lots of 1 ton on trucks at the main ports. In some instances they involve a slight loss to the Wheat Controller, and in others a slight profit. On the balance, a small profit will be made, and this will be set aside as a stabilisation fund to compensate any rise l in the initial purchase price in Australia. Barley is being imported by the Internal Marketing Department, and the price for minimum lots of 10 bags for cash sales is 3s 4d per bushel ex wharf. Railage and other transport costs are additional. This price, as in the case of the quotations for pollard, includes the commission for merchants, through whom orders are placed in the ordinary way.

It is to be stressed that the substantial economies made possible for users of barley and pollard can be obtained only by placing orders for delivery ex ship and in the minimum quantities stated previously. The moment barley or pollard goes into store, additional costs are incurred. In the same way, sales of small lots, for obvious ■ reasons, cannot be made at the favourable figures quoted for the larger quantities. Place your orders with your merchants in the usual way, and buy for ex ship delivery of at least the minimum quantities.