POULTRY FEED SHORTAGE

Chronicle (Levin), 20 March 1947, Page 2

POULTRY FEED SHORTAGE

-Press Association

Bv Telearavh—

WELLINGTON, March 19. Tliat tlie difficulties faciug the poultry industry in regard to food supplies were not yet hnished Avas indicated by the Assistant Director General of Agriculture (Mr. It. B. Tennent) when he officiailv opened the conference of Nev Zealand Eegistered Poultry Keepers to day. Mr. Tennent reviewed the wheat position and suggested that the eomposition of standardised inash might have to be altered. The world position in regard to wheat, he said, was still very serious and investigations were now going on to consider the best nieans of distributing the wheat supply. The tendency luid been for New Zealand 's wheat acreage to drop so that the country had to look overseas for supplies. New Zealand used approximately 12,000,000 bushels of wheat a year, and of that 4,000,000 bushels were used by the poultry industry. Negotiations with Australia and tive or six uiillion bushels produced froin the country 's ovvn crop should see tliat the supply position was not as bad as might be expected. ' 1 1 can see no relaxation of the regulations covering standardised inash," said Mr. Tennent. "If distribution is to be ensured standardised niasli will

have to be continued and we might not have to contsider a revision of tho coiuposition of that inash. If that were done it would be^ only out of dire uecessity. "