BUTTER-FAT OUTPUT DECLINE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 20, 19 October 1943, Page 6

BUTTER-FAT OUTPUT DECLINE

Need For Fertilizers

TUNISIAN PHOSPHATE

WANTED

Dominion Special Service. AUCKLAND, October 18. “The Dominion's total butter-fat production for August and September shows a decline of 28 per cent., compared with the same two'months last year, said Mr. A J. Sinclair, secretary-manager ot Die Te Awamutn Co-operative Dairy Company, limited, yesterday. 'Dairy companies are viewing the prospects lor this season with grave misgivings Apart from unfavourable weather and Ihe tin satisfactory handling of . th e manpower problem, the shortage of fertilizer is the dominant factor responsible “If New Zealand is to make any showin" at all this season in fulfilling the requirements of the British Government for dairy produce, every effort must now be concentrated on the only practicable solution of this problem— namely the importation of a minimum quantity ot 50 000 tons of finely-ground lunisian phosphate, shipments to commence arriving here not later than January. North African phosphate, said Mr. Sinclair, had proved to be one of the finest fertilizers ever imported to New z>e.i land. Because it was a eitric soluble fertilizer, it gave excellent results on grasslands, especially heavy lands, which - sponded much better to this 0I tilizer than to straight superphosphate. Before the war, supplies ot basic smt and Seychelles guano had supplemented superphosphate with great success, but these were now unobtainable. „ “Cabled advice from London, said MrSinclair. “states that the. large phosphate works at Sfax. in Tunisia, suffered u f little damage during the last two y ear ®’ and advice has also been received that the port’of Sfax will be in complete workin" order by December. Substantial shipments of phosphates are available now, provided the Empire Fertilizer Control Committee and the Freight Control Committee in London can be induced to make shipping available.” Government's Attitude.

Mr Sinclair said the problem Wt be dealt with from this end in the first place because of instructions given re eentlv by the Director-General of Agriculture Mr. E. J. Fawcett, to the Collector of Customs at Auckland that a PP llcat l°“ 8 for the importation of North African fine-lv-"round phosphate must be declined. In n letter dated September 23, the of Agriculture, Mr. Barclay, had a l ,aei ' this decision, and yet a few . days the general election the Prime Ministe announced in a broadcast ® tat e“ent that he would welcome shipments of imported fertilizers to New Zealand. , . “While the Department of Agriculture is hostile to the importation ground Tunisian phosphate, said Air. Sinclair, “the dairy industry cannot be satisfied that any genuine attempt is being made by the Government to secure the shipping so urgently required, is at least one obvious reason for the department’s hostility; it is determined o force serpentine superphosphate _on the farmer, and no farmer would give that type of fertilizer a moment s consideration if he could procure finely-ground North African phosphate.” . Mr. Sinclair submited samples ot this fertilizer, so finely ground that it had the appearance of slate-grey oust, and contrasted this with a sample of serpentine super which had the consistency of scoria or granular particles of concrete He added that nothing had caused so much dissatisfaction and resentment among farmers as the department s determination to force upon them the use of serpentine superphosphate. “The problem of declining production transcends in importance any Govern‘ment scheme,” concluded Mr. Sinclair, “and if this country is to stave oft a disastrous fall in its exports of primary produce, the farmers have not a moment to lose. Contacts which I have made with dairy company directors convince me that they are prepared to go to any constitutional extremes to have tins matter dealt with.”