MARKED INCREASE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20132, 29 December 1939, Page 9

MARKED INCREASE

MAIZE PRODUCTION N.Z. NEEDS NEARLY MET POVERTY BAY CROPS AREA ALMOST DOUBLE (Per Pross Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. As a result of the increase in production, it was expected the local crop of maize next season would be practically sufficient to meet the Dominion’s requirements, thus enabling the importations of maize to be reduced to a minimum, said the Minister of Marketing, the Hon. W. Nash, in a statement last night. Mr. Nash said that for some time past the Internal Marketing Division had been actively interested in the supply of maize not only to the extent of arranging any importations required, but also in stabilising local prices at a level to afford reasonable encouragement to growers in New Zealand. “The effect of the division’s influence on the price of maize has been to prevent any undue inflation of values and, at the same time, to maintain prices in reasonable relationship with the cost of production,” Mr. Nash added. “It is satisfactory to be able to report that, in consequence of this policy, the production of maize in New Zealand has been increasing. In Poverty Bay, one of the principal districts concerned, the position is shown by the following extract from a recent report prepared by a leading stock and station agent: ‘Supplies of good quality maize held here are now little more than sufficient for the district’s own local requirements, although meantime the values remain unaltered at the Marketing Board’s rate of sst 8d a bushel for November delivery and 5s 9d for December. The new season’s crops are looking wonderfully well. Taking all factors into consideration, Poverty Bay during the coming season should have little difficulty in producing between 50,000 or 60,000 sacks of maize, an increase of well over 100 per cent on last year’s crop.’ ’’

This' announcement confirms statements made locally during the past few months, although the estimate of 50,000 to 60,000 sacks as the crop for the coming harvest is a little larger than previously reported. A few weeks ago it was stated in the Herald that the crop was- expected to produce between 40,000 and 50,000 sacks, and probably should be one of the biggest produced in the district. The record year was in 1927.