AGRICULTURAL SEEDS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 September 1940, Page 9

AGRICULTURAL SEEDS

NEW ZEALAND EXPORT TRADE. PROBABLE EXPANSION. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, September 6. Some expansion of New Zealand’s export trade in agricultural seeds appears to be possible in the near future Mr A. H. Cockayne, Director-General of Agriculture, said tonight that the United Kingdom had informed New Zealand that supplies of certain types of seed would be required, and leading seed merchants and others interested were making the necessary contacts with British importers to establish the trade. Asked if cocksfoot would be included in the seeds to be exported to England, Mr Cockayne said there was no doubt that the United Kingdom would be short of supplies because of the disappearance of European markets, and as much seed as possible would be saved in New Zealand. One of the troubles with the cocksfoot crop, however, was that it had been contracting rather than expanding in recent years, and it was difficult to say what additional acreage would be available for seed. The mere fact that merchants would be in the field for the seed, however, would be an encouragement to growers. Certain classes of seeds to be sent to the United Kingdom would be substantial, but most of them were seeds which had been exported in regular quantities in the past. However, there were other seeds, notably onions and carrots, to the growing of which New Zealand was suited, which were not normally exported,' and it looked as though arrangements would be made to send quantities of these away.