NO BUYERS FOR OATS

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 104, 27 January 1943, Page 8

NO BUYERS FOR OATS

Crops Grown At Request Of Government MILLERS AWAIT ORDERS (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRIS'I'CH URCH, Juiiiiury 25. Fariuers, inwhmils, millers and primary production councils have beeii placed in an invidious position through the uncertainly about the marketing of oals grown for oatmeal for wartime demands, according to a statement today by the president of the North Canterbury Grain .Merchants’ Association, Mr.* A. H. Spratt.. .Mr. Spratt endorsed statements by the Ashburton president., -Mr. A. A. McDonald, on which be was asked to comment. “The Government, through the primary production councils,” said Mr. Sppatt, "culled on farmers Io produce, among other things, Gartons oats tor oat.meal for soldiers and grain salesmen, in support of this, advised farmers to grow those outs. The 1 armors responded wonderfully to the council s appeal ami have grown the oats and are harvesting their crops. Now no millers will buy them, and there is no market, the millers apparently having bad no orders placed with them. Oatmeal mills throughout New Zealand are heavily stocked with carry over, and as far as I can ascertain the millers have nothing definite from the Government as to whether they are to be given big orders for oatmeal or not. The millers consequently do not know where they stand. Meanwhile, I entirely endorse Mr. McDonald's remarks in warning farmers that there is no storage room in town and that oats are not. at present saleable. We must advise them to put: their oats in stack, and if eventually there is no market the oats can be used for chaff, etc.”

Mr. Spratt said it was considered that calls for primary produce should not be made without a market being assured.