Grass Seeds Help To Earn Dollars

Chronicle (Levin), 29 September 1949, Page 3

Grass Seeds Help To Earn Dollars

An increase bv almost double in the in the amount of Chewing's fescue exnorted to the United States during the ; last year, was reported yesterday l»v a local firm of merchanfcs. The New Zealand crop which mainlv comes from South Otaeo and Southland, had been an unusually good one, with the result that the export total to America was double. The erop had reaehed 1000 tons and 500 tons had been sold to the United States. The crop of white clover seed had been rather less than usual but because Britain bad taken less than usual, America was able to take more-. From between 200 to 300 tons had been sent to the United States. However, in brown top there had not been such a good crop this year and the export toT America was limited. But Montgomerv Red was a new variety on the export list and a market for it had now been established in the United States. More rve grass could probably be exported to the United States. Chewing's fescue was worth 600 dollars a ton this year. but last year had been worth more. This meant that although more was sent to America in 1949 the increase in the number of dol lars received, for it wa,s not as great as would be exnecteji. 'New Zealand white clover seed, which was probably as^ good as conld be produced anvwhere rlse in the world, was worth 1200 dollars a ton. The total value of these two lines this year would be therefore 600,000 dollars. The increase on the fescue exported to 'America last year was approximatelv 250,000 dollars. How mnch could New Zealand 's seed exports to the United States be increased? The answer to this auestion lay in the fact that the United States ) was not self-supporting in seed and would therefore take all she could get. However, if she had a bumper crop her inrnorts would naturally decrease, and if New Zealand had a poor crop onr exports to the United States -■ would decrease. Theoreticallv the market was - unlimited. A further eomplication was the fftPt .that up till the present time the United States had been buying , both e.ertifletd and uncertifled strains j from New Zealand. but was now becoming more particular and demanded , more certifieatioii.