898 



Prices of Home-Groavn Wheat. 



[Jan., 



7. In this connection, I am to observe that the Notice issued 

 by the Ministry of Food, referred to in the fourth paragraph of 

 the Eesokition, is presumably the one dated September 16th 

 (P.N. 1181), of wHich a copy is enclosed. Whilst this Notice was 

 certainly intended to discourage farmers from hoarding wheat 

 until after next March, it can hardly be interpreted as an 

 encouragement to thresh exceptional quantities of wheat in the 

 early part of the season. 



8. In conclusion I am to say that Lord Lee notes the opinion 

 expressed in the final paragraph of the Resolution, and that he 

 shares the desire of the National Farmers' Union for the removal 

 of the control of wheat at the earliest possible moment. 



I am, Sir, your obedient Sei'\^ant. 



(Sd.) F. L. C. FLOUD, 

 A. D. Allen, Esq., O.B.E., Secretary. 

 General Secretary, National Farmers' Union. 



****** 



The following Notice vras issued by the Ministry to the Press 



mu T» • Oil the 10th December, 1920:— 



The Price ot Home- ^, at ^ • i ^ • ui ^ ^ 



Grown Wheat ^imistry thmks it desirable to draw 



the attention of farmers to the fact that 

 although recently there has been a considerable fall in the 

 price of wheat in America and elsewhere, the present level of 

 world's prices is still such that the price of British wheat of 

 sound milling quality ought not to be affected. 



Millers have been directed by the Food Controller that they 

 have authorisation to pay for home-grown wheat of sound 

 milling quality purchased on rail at producer's station, an 

 average price not exceeding 95s. per 504 lb. f.o.r. or 96s. per 

 504 lb. in respect of wheat delivered by road into the mill. 

 Further, millers have been offered every inducement to use 

 the maximum quantity of home-grown wheat, but in most 

 cases flour containing a large proportion of imported wheat is 

 required by bakers and householders. 



It should be remembered that the miller is under no obliga- 

 tion to purchase grain which he does not require to meet 

 immediate needs. The Ministry understands that much of 

 the home-grown wheat which has been offered for sale by 

 farmers during the past two weeks has been either of inferior 

 quality or in doubtful condition, with the result that the full 

 price payable for sound milling wheat has not been realised, 

 W'hile in addition farmers have in many cases been pressing 

 millers to purchase wheat to an extent which is in excess of 

 current millino- requirements. 



