INDIAN WHEAT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1272, 24 June 1886, Page 2

INDIAN WHEAT.

As the possibility of Indian wheat reaching these markets has been hinted at, although scarcely seriously entertained, it may be worth while to consider its relative value with that of the home grown grain. According to the English technical journals, this is by no means favourable. The Millers’ Gazatte tenches upon the matter thus :— ‘ India has another good wheat crop in prospect, and with a view to the steadily increasing Importance of our Indian supplies it

Is worth noting that competent authorities have given it as their opinion that if Indian wheat could be brought to market in the same condition in the matter of cleanliness as English wheat, it would be worth on the average threepence per bushel mors all round. It is not only the loss in weight which has to be taken Into account, but to remove the objectionable features, special washing and cleaning processes have to be adopted in milling, entailing considerable additional expense, and even then a large admixture of Indian wheat can generrally be detected in the Hour. It is indeed by no means an outside estimate to say that cost of transport to the seaboard in a large export season is actually Incurred on 30,000 tons of useless dirt and foreign matter. It is manifest, therefore, that if this could be obviated one of the greatest impediments to an increased export trade in Indian wheat would at once be removed; and by greater care in preparation it could easily be dons. An important step in this direction would be gained if the growers could be induced to adopt the use of modern thrashing machinery, instead of having the wheat trodden down by bullocks as at present., Remembering that the demand in these colonies inns upon the very finest flour, there would appear to be very little probabiliy of any miller being so llladvlsed as to attempt the Importation of wheat which is trodden down by bullocks, not even if the marks!: price advances several pence.—Age”.