FERTILISER SUBSIDY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 113, 11 April 1940, Page 12

FERTILISER SUBSIDY.

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, April 10. The introduction of a subsidy on certain imported pliosphatic fertilisers which have arrived in tho Dominion since the outbreak of war and also on certain expected arrivals was announced by the Minister of Agriculture tonight. This subsidy is in addition to that at present being paid by the Government on certain raw materials used in the manufacture of superphosphate. The main lines concerned in the new subsidy are: North African phosphate, Walpole guano, Seychelles guano and basic slag. The Minister said the rate would not in any case exceed 7s 6d per ton. Where the actual increase in c.i.f. and e. cost was below 7s 6d a ton based on the average similar cost before the outbreak of war, only the actual increase a ton would be paid. “As the object of this subsidy is the lowering of costs to farmer consumers, the Department of Agriculture will require to be satisfied that the benefit of the subsidy is wholly passed on to farmers,” said tho Minister. “The department will communicate with importers and will then arrange appropriate subsidy payments to merchants on receipt of declarations. Every farmer who has brought imported pliosphatic fertiliser of the type entitled to a subsidy in lots of one ton or more will receive a refund. Transactions in lots of under one ton effected to date will not be eligible for a subsidy at any point.”