Poultry-keepers' Plea For More Wheat

Chronicle (Levin), 20 January 1948, Page 7

Poultry-keepers' Plea For More Wheat

'■*g> — CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 39. Although Uiere are indieations that fowl wlieat will be in shorter suppjy tliis year, Canterbury egg producers do not expect an immediate reduction m the egg supply to eonsumers. It is likely that. eggs will be rationed on the saine basis as in the past this winter but producers believe that unless the wheat position improves in the autumn, there will be a tehdency for pouitry farmers to reduee" their flocks, resulting in a reduction in the egg supply. ' ' T!v? Government has assured the pouitry farmer that it will lo "its .best to ensure that he is supplied with the same quota as last-'- year but wdiether the egg position improves or detoriorates later, will depeud on the wheat erop, " said M r. J. W. McGlinchy, chainuan of the New Zealand Pouitry Board, this evening. "I cannot visua'ii&e anv shortoning. pf eggs this autumn or winter but prodiicers are not going to breed young birds when tliey cannot be sure of obtaining wlieat to feed tliem and there mav be farmers who will reduee the number of their birds. tVe can use 100 per cent. of barJey instead of wheat but have tried without avaii to get the Government to restric.t the breweries' supplies. Oats can only be used to tlie extent of 25 per cent. ' The maize position has improved and there is 10 per cent. more in the standard mash than forinerly. Some supplies of whole grain maize will be available to south Island egg producers. Even by using 25 per cent. of oats, all the available whole grain inaize and what barley he can obtain, the poultrv farmer crnnot make up the required 50 per cent. of hard grain to meet the deficieney in wlieat, " concluded Mr« McGlirrchy.