MAIZE PRICES

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 215, 2 August 1939, Page 3

MAIZE PRICES

Tins YEAK’S iNCIiEASE SOLE OBJECT DISCLOSED » lAT ORE ASIN G PROD V CTI ON The sole object of the Internal Alarla ting Department in increasing the minimum price 01. mnige for the crop now coming on t<> the market was to increase production in the Dominion and to minimise the necessity lor importations. ' This is revealed in a letter sent by Air. E. R. Pivot, Director of Internal Alarketing, to Air. A. G. Hultquist, AI.P. The letter set out the scale cl minimum prices from July to December. commencing at os .‘rid in July, rising to os 5d in August, and then by id increases each month to os 9d in December. ‘•Although it would appear at first sight that this represents an increase ol approximately Gel! per bushel on last year’s prices.” Air. Picot stated, “.It must be remembered that the Gs basis for last season was a minimum price, and towards the end cf the season the price rose sharply. Merchants’ Co-cp3ration ■‘This year, however, wc: are endeavouring. at the request ol the growers, to work on the above pi ices, which will be regarded as both maxi mum and minimum. In this connection tin* merchants are willing to cooperate' both in Gisborne and el.sewlieie, and we very much appreciate the assistance they have rendered to the scheme over the past lew years. “Our object in increasing the price this year has been solely for the purpose of inducing the maize-growers to increase their plantings with a view it> minimising importations. "It will be of interest to you to know that from March of this year until the start of the local season some 2500 tons of Javan maize have been required to lx* imported in order to meet the deficiency in the local supplies.'’