asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state what is the approximate price in the mill of Australian wheat costing $1.80 per bushel f.o.b. Australian port and of Irish wheat on a basis of average moisture content of 13 per cent.
Written Answers. - Irish and Australian Wheat.
The price of imported wheat is not the same in every mill but if Australian wheat could be bought at a price of $1.80 f.o.b. Australian port, its average price in the mill would be approximately 78/2 per barrel. In fact, the price paid for the last cargoes of Australian wheat averaged $1.847 f.o.b. which brings the average price in the mill to 79/9 per barrel.
The corresponding average price of native wheat of the 1952 harvest on the mill floor cannot be calculated until allthe accounts of millers for that year have been received and examined. I may say that Irish wheat is not normally milled at a moisture content of less than 15 per cent.