REALISTIC APPROACH TO PRODUCTION CALLED FOR

Chronicle (Levin), 30 January 1947, Page 7

REALISTIC APPROACH TO PRODUCTION CALLED FOR

—Press Asaociation

Federated Farmers Makes An Appeal

By Telegrapfy

WELLINGTON, Jan. 29. "For some considerable time Federatecl Farmers has given consideration to the situation in regard to food production in New Zealand," said Mr. W. N. Perry, Dominion Vice-President of the Federation today, ' ' and it is obvious from resolutions emanating from all parts of the Dominion that farmers as a whole are dissatisfied with the efforts New Zealand is making. There. is a very strong feeling that we are not doing what we could in the Dominion," said Mr. Perry. "There is a general slackness of eft'ort at a time wken we should be striving with every possible means in our power, to alleviate distress and suffering caused by shortages of food overseas." Mr. Perry added that the first requirement for greater production was increased supplies of fertiliser .and lime. Unfortunately industrial troubles were restricting efforts which should be made to increase production, and the distribution of both. With greater supplies of fertiliser in particular, production could very materially be increased but at -the same time there was no Saturday work in the fertiliser works which not only decreascd the production of fertiliser but also increased the difficulties of transport since Saturday and Sunday were two of the best days for the railways to handlc fertiliser haulage. More fertiliser and lime would help with meat. and dairy production. The main need of New Zealand and the wo.rld, however, was for wheat which, in actual point of fact of quantity of food, could produce very considerably more per acre than any other product wliich could be raised in New Zealand. On good land which would fatten four lambs to the acre, a yield of 1601b. of meat could be gained from this use of the land. On the other hand, with a good crop on the same land, an acre ought to produce. 50001b. of grain. On average land which would fatten 1| lambs to the afcre, 601b. of meat could be produced as.against, 20001b; of graijh This meapt.that 20 jaches'of wheat could j^bduce a pr^atel' quantity /.of. H$o3stuffs than a f arm ;earrym^ ILOOO bre^ding ewesj^. _ '• t- i X .. /■ "No crdpjhas ^fecfeived lossrens couyagenieift^th^^Qmi^pii than vMie'at, " . Z^rify. ' 1 The reasoii ' Hvheat price has been fi'xed* at a relatively low figure and, morbover, it has been fixed with an eye. on good

normal wheat growing land. It has not been appreciated by those in authority that to increase the crop of wheat considerably, it must be grown on areas outside the normal wheat growing ones and in districts where the yiel'd is smaller and the risk of crop failure is greater. It is obvious*that to get more wheat a grbater price will have to be paid." Mr. Perry said New Zealand had been paying her farmers 7/1 per bushel but had been importing wheat at a price 50 per cent. higher! It should be remembered,, too, that from the price of 7/1 transport charges to the nearest port must be deducted. Lack of wheat meant that the poultry position was desperate. " A similar effect had . occurred beeause of a shortage of grain so far as pig production was concerned. Pigs decreased from 762,000' in January, 1941, to 549,000 in 1946 and yet pig production offered the greatest potential of all meat production. The pig reproduced more rapidly than any other domestic meat producing animal and its progeny made weight more quickly. It should be obvious that there was a need for grain of all kinds and its production should be encouraged. "Then there is the question of waste," said Mr. Perry. "Faf*is being wasted on farms beeause the cost of cartage to centres and cost of containers in which to put it, is considerably more than the return which can be gained for it. At the same time only a fraction of what is received from overseas for fat is being paid out. If the price were raised only a little and if a cheap container could be designed and produced, a very great amount of food which is now being wasted could be saved. Surely this is not beyond the capacity of New Zealand to evolve. " Continuing, Mr. Perry said : "Federated Farmers feel strongly that the Dominion is not playing its part in the present world food crisis. This is not .the time for the Dominion to rest on its oars. We should be working;.ai®d this means not only the farmeiv'but also the whole oflthe community. Whai appear&.to be forgotteii; iS that the people of Brifaiivsiaved when we wejsef-'in danger .in orcler to ;provide muniti'ons aird 'supplies with which. ib'^dfeiidf the' Empire and world againSt aggression. Surely we should be putting forward the greatest eft'ort we can to repay these people who worked so hard to save us. There is no need for New Zealand to slave — the only need is for us really to work. If we do this we can repay in some measure the people of Britain wlio did so much for us in times of danger and we can preserve our self-respect. Federated Farmers makes a public appeal for a realistic approach to the whole-problem of food production."