PRICE OF MANURES.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 October 1921, Page 8

PRICE OF MANURES.

EFFECT OF NAURU SUPPLIES. MINISTER EXPLAINS POSITION, THE PRICE WILL FALL. (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Oct. 20. Mr. E. Newman (Rangitikei) yesterday asked the Minister of Agriculture if he would make a statement regarding the price of Nauru phosphate. He said he understood it was quoted at £8 ss, less 2A per cent, on the truck at Auckland. That, he believed, was more than had been anticipated by the Minister. The Hon. W. Nosworthy replied that owing to the long period occupied in making arrangements in London, the Commissioners did not,take control of the’ trading business until January last. Some buyers of rock had made forward contracts for supplies and freight elsewhere than at Nauru and Ocean Island, and that meant a higher landed cost than the Government could land the rock from Nauru and Ocean Island. Mr. Nosworthy quoted figures which showed that for the first half of the present year over 30,000 tons of rock had been landed in New Zealand from the islands. These supplies had affected the market, and the prices had not yet adjusted themselves, but the market had a downward tendency. Last year phosphatic manures were selling at high prices. The price of superphosphate to the farmer varied from £ll 10s to £l3 10s per ton. This season the prices had fallen to from £7 15s, less 2i per cent., to £8 10s per ton.

The prices of Nauru and Ocean Island phosphate, said the Minister, had not yet become stabilised, owing to large supplies of higher-priced phosphate rock having not yet been vised up. Current prices for ground rock phosphate in the north were £7 15s, less 2?. per cent., bagged and placed on rail or f.o.b. steamer at Auckland. In Canterbury owing to the rainfall conditions this was not much used as a fertiliser. In Southland £7 15s, less 2 J per cent., was also quoted, but in one case where special arrangements had been made covering a large quantity a considerably lower price was being paid. Prices to farmers varied owing to difference in freight to different centres, variation in handling charges, and in one case a cooperative purchase. It was, added the Minister, a matter for concern that now that supplies of relatively low-priced phosphate rock were available selling prices to farmers should be at their present level, owing to the existence of higher priced material from other sources.

Manufacturing costs and charges under current conditions were undoubtedly high, being from £2 5s to £2 7s Gd per ton. Ground phosphate had not yet come into general use, and its chief value was as a top dressing in districts where there was a good rainfall, and as an ingredient in mixed manures. The prices at present quoted were certainly too high if considered on the basis of the present-day landed costs of Nauru rock. This matter was being discussed with manufacturers. It could be accepted as a fact that while prices for manures generally were far below those ruling last year, prices after the end of the present year for phosphate manures would be still further reduced.