WHEAT PROSPECTS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 85, 21 January 1942, Page 2

WHEAT PROSPECTS

IMPROVEMENT IN AVERAGES. ESTIMATED AT ABOUT 34 BUSHELS New Zealand’s wheat yield this year may he considerably better than previously expected. Returns received from members of the electoral committee of the United Wheatgrowers’ Association —covering 199 farms in Canterbury and Otago—indicate that the average yield as estimated for the 1942 harvest will probably he about 34 bushels to the acre, and almost equal to that of the 1941 harvest.

The estimate for these particular farms is 35.53 bushels an acre, as against the actual average* of 36.02 for the same farms last year. According to an official comment yesterday, this docs not mean that the average yield throughout the area will be 35.53, but it does indicate that the yield will he somewhere in the vicinity of last year’s, which proved to be 34.15. It is therefore expected that New Zealand’s production will not fall very far short of what is required to carry through until April or May of 1943.

The returns are, however, not yet complete, and it. was stated yesterday that the estimate might have to he modified when later figures wore available.

Referring yesterday to the returns, the chairman of the United Wheatgrowers’ Association (Air H. F. Nicoll) said that a few weeks ago it appeared almost impossible that such a result could be expected. The improvement in the prospects was entirely the result of the excellent rains at Christmas and since.

“Arrangements have been made for sufficient petrol to be made available to farmers,” he added, “for their harvesting operations and for preparing the land and sowing the new crop. A recent, announcement by the Minister for National Service makes it clear that where farmers have difficulty in securing labour men will be released from the military forces both for harvesting and for preparing and sowing the following crop. Wheatgrowers who are faced with difficulty in respect of labour should take immediate application to their local manpower committee for the release on leave of suitable men.” The following summary of the returns gives, in order, the district, number of farms, acreage, and average yield estimated for 1942 (with 1941 comparisons in parentheses): . North Canterbury acres (5269), 32.72 (same) bushels an acre average, Mid-Canterbury—4B, 4048 (4246), 32.73 (36.53). South Canterbury—67, 3885 (4172), 38.33 (36.81). North Otago—2o, 1360 (1274),, 45.77 (44.5). Otago—lo, 262 (215), 38.85 (41.24). Total for 199 farms, 14,836 (15,176) acres, 527,099 (546,614) bushels total yield, 35.53 (36.02) average.