Exportation of Oats.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 418, 18 February 1890, Page 3

Exportation of Oats.

TIU Melbourne Argue makes the following remarks in its commercial columns" The question ' what shall we do with our oats?' has recently been discussed by ths Christ. church Wsekly Press, and M we shall probably have to ipiport bats from New Zealand largely through the current year, the subject la of importance; As we have pointed out before,'the rise of the frozen mutton Industry has given the New Zealand farmer another'market for bis Oats, and he has now four great outlets, first the' loch! demand for Ordinary feed purpdses, secondly Australian plariieM, ’thirdly' the ' British market, and fourthly the frozen mutton trade. Whioh of these outlets will be most sought will naturally depend upon the prices which are realisable, and the most important consideration is, What is the maximum that the f attener of sheep can pay ’ It appears to bo generally held that Is 6d per bushel is the maximum, and that, therefore, it will not pay to export when f.c.h. prices are lower. Granted that export will commence at Is 84 per bushel, it follows that with freight, duty and Charges, St 8d should he vealiMblt at Au»V«iie« pvi'M, If the basis of otleiilattea

io correct, the Victorian farmer has a standard to reckon by, viz., that importations of New Zealand oats are not likely to be on a large scale when their value iu Melbourne falls under 3a 2d. On the other band, a practical man will at once see that, although Is 6d per .bushel may be accepted as an average of oats for sheep fattening purposes iu New Zealand, yet that local circumstances may combine to make exportation to some extent or other a necessity. When, however, exportation has to be undertaken, the British market will often offer a better inducement than the Australian, and it is a matter of fact that a large shipment has recently been made to London."