PIC FEED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 February 1940, Page 5

PIC FEED

SUPPLIES OF POLLARD AND BARLEY

IMPORTATION FROM AUSTRALIA. ASSISTANCE FOR DAIRY FARMERS. Information has been received from the Masterton Council of Primary Production to the effect that on the recommendation of the National Council, the Government has made arrangements tor the importation of Australian barley and pollard into the North Island to assist daily farmers in increasing their output of pigs of bacon weight. The Imperial Government’s request that seventy-five per cent of pigs exported should be more than lOOlbs. weight has upset the balance in pig feeding obtained by marketing pigs either at pork or bacon weights according to the sufficiency cf milk supplies. If no steps had been taken to secure additional feeding stuffs a decline in pig production would have been inevitable and for reasons well known to all farmers, an increase in pig production is imperative. Accordingly, an appeal was made to farmers to increase the acreage of crops for their pigs and judging by the increased crops in most of the dairying districts, there has been a very good response to this appeal. As most dairy farms have, of necessity, been limited to the growing of root crops which by themselves or in combination with small amounts of meat meal or milk, do not constitute a fattening ration, it was necessary to obtain additional supplies of such hard feed as barley and pollard. The Wheat Controller has arranged the importation of Australian pollard which is now available to North Island farmers at prices ranging from £6 14s 5d to £G 19s 4d per ton according to port of entry. These prices refer to cash sales of minimum lots of one ton on trucks at the main ports. In some instances they involve a slight loss to the Wheat Controller and in others a slight profit. On the balance, a small profit will be made and this will be set aside in a stabilisation fund to compensate any rise in the initial purchase price in Australia. Barley is being imported by the Internal Marketing Department and the price for minimum lots of ten bags for cash sales is 3s 4d per bushel ex. wharf. Railage and other -transport costs are additional. This price, as in the case of the quotations for pollard, includes the commission for merchants through whom orders are placed in the ordinary way. It is to be stressed that the substantial economies made possible for users of barley and pollard, can only be obtained by placing orders for delivery ex-ship and in the minimum quantities stated above. The moment barley or pollard goes into store, additional costs are incurred. In the same way, sales of small lots, for obvious reasons, cannot be made at the favourable figures quoted for the larger quantities. Flace your orders with your merchants in the usual way and buy for ex-ship delivery of at least the minimum quantities.