The Rural Voice, 1988-09, Page 116NEWS
WHEAT BOARD GIVES
CONSUMERS ADVICE
Consumers should be taking special
note of the price of wheat -based prod-
ucts, including cake and pastry, cookies,
biscuits, cereals, and bread, says the
Ontario Wheat Producers' Marketing
Board.
As far as wheat is concemed, the
board says, there should be no increase
in the shelf price of wheat -based prod-
ucts because of recent changes in the
price of wheat.
Officials of the marketing board say
producers are fed up with product price
increases being blamed on the price of
wheat.
In keeping with the federal govern-
ment's decision to alter the two -price
wheat policy, the board has been forced
to lower the price of wheat to processors
from the $257 per tonne ($7 per bushel)
level in effect for the past two years to
$228 per tonne ($6.20 per bushel) for
August and September.
In a normal crop year, about 25 per
cent of producers' wheat goes into the
domestic human consumption market
under the two -price wheat policy while
the remaining 75 per cent must be ex-
ported at levels below the cost of pro-
duction, which average $147 per tonne
($4 per bushel).
Depending on the product, the value
of wheat in end products ranges from 2
to 10 per cent. According to Statistics
Canada, labour is the major cost factor
in the processing and distribution of
bakery and other cereal products, ac-
counting for 30 per cent of the retail
price. Wheat, sugar, and vegetable oils
are the main agricultural inputs and
represent about 15 per cent of the retail
price.
The marketing board suggests that
consumers check shelf prices and de-
mand to know why price increases oc-
cur, particularly when wheat prices
decrease or remain constant.
Manufacturers have suggested that
lower wheat prices would enable them
to compete with imports, but they do not
guarantee a reduction in the shelf price
in Canada, and it is doubtful that the
shelf price of imported products will
decline either, the board says.
Industry spokesmen also say that
See our new style
of weaner feeders
ED'S CONCRETE
Is
MANUFACTURING
PRE -CAST HOG FEEDERS
Three or four feet long, 36 or 42 inches
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STRATFORD 519-271-6590
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oo
LEANEST BARROW
Gord Edwards, breeding stock manager at Monoway
Farms, accepts award from Hary Homan, from Elmira
Farm Services, representing Ralston Purina.
Monoway Farms, R.R. # 4 Brussels received the award
for the leanest probed barrow at the recent Landrace
Association Show in Stratford.
"Thanks to Ralston Purina for their support of this
show and for presenting this award"— Wayne Fear, owner,
and Gord Edwards, breeding stock manager, Monoway Farms.
MONOWAY FARMS
6 Mi. W. of Brussels on
Huron Rd. 16,
YORKSHIRE
LANDRACE
DUROC
HAMPSHIRE
Call Wayne anytime at Call Gord at noon or after six p.m. at
519-887-6668
519-887-6477
SEPTEMBER 1988 39