Assurance On Surplus Wheat Sought

Press, Volume C, Issue 29504, 4 May 1961, Page 21

Assurance On Surplus Wheat Sought

An assurance from the Wheat Committee that ail wheat at present being stored unsold by farmers would find buyers, either for milling if it was suitable or for feed purposes, was called for byMr A. N. Mclntosh (MidCanterbury) at the quarterly meeting of the Dominion agriculture produce section council of Federated Farmers yesterday. Three weeks ago there were 90.000 bags of wheat in MidCanterbury unsold of which about 50.000 had a Hagberg test number of greater than 30. he said. Millers had begun the season by buying wheat of a Hagberg test of up to then 11. and later had taken for. milling lines up to 28.5. Now they were “picking the eyes out of" what was left and their limit had been reduced to a Hagberg test number of 10. “What are the mills going to buy at? Is this wheat with a Hagberg test of under 30 going to be suitable for milling?” Mr Mclntosh asked. “That 30-plus wheat is being stored in merchant’s stores at the cost of the farmer—it doesn’t qualify for storage increment payments as it can’t be used for blending. Farmers want to know what is the position with the wheat in the range of 10 to 30. Will it qualify? “We would like a definite statement from the Wheat Committee as to what is going to happen with the milling wheat of up to 30. Ashbur-

ton county farmers are getting very restive axid are asking what Hagberg number is going to be accepted for milling wheat for the rest of the year. “Farmers with wheat of 30-p'us in many cases would be willing to accept less than I3s fid a bushel, but the brokers are loth to do anything until it is definitely known what is going to be bought for milling.” From South Canterbury. Mr S. J. Lister supported Mr Mclntosh's remarks. Mr G. A. Nutt, the council’s vice-chairman and a member of the Wheat Committee, said that the Hagberg test had enabled millers to take in wheat this year for milling that they would not have dared to take before the test was introduced. “I can assure you that every member of the Wheat Committee is fully conscious of the farmers who are holding wheat.” he said. He appealed to the council and farmers in general not to rush the matter. “This is only May 2. and enormous quantities of feed wheat will be required in the next few months. No Australian feed wheat will be imported whi]e this wheat is here.” he said. A lot of lines of wheat of less than 28.5 in the Hagberg test were not suitable for milling because of other reasons. “What is wanted Is an assurance that al! wheat will be wanted,” Mr Melntosh said.