AGRICULTURE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 227, 25 September 1935, Page 8

AGRICULTURE.

PROGRESS RECORDED.

REPORT TO PARLIAMENT.

OUTSTANDING FEATURES,

Important features of tho farming industry during tho past year, noted in tho annual report of the Department of Agriculture, which was tabled in the House of Representatives, are as follows: — 1. A decrease of 4.831 per cont in the production of butterfat for the twelve months ending July, 1935, as compared with tho corresponding period of the 1933-34 season—this is correlated firstly with the fact that an interim estimate of the average butterfat production of all dairy cows in 1934-35 is 2101b, whereas thy final estimate for 1933-34 was 220.81b, and, secondly, with the fact that there was a decrease of £1,413,014 in New Zealand currency in the value of butter and cheese exported during the year ended June 30, 1935.

2. An increase of 247,139ewt in the weight and £1.473,854 in the value of frozen lamb exported during the year ended June 30, 1035.

3. An increase of 88,G40ewt in the weight and of £303,319 in the value of the frozen pork exported, which for the first time has reached an annual value of over £1,000,000 in New Zealand currency.

4. A decrease of approximately 21,000,0001b iu the weight and £2t>0,000 in the value of fresh apples exported.

5. A decrease of 239,033 bales in the quantity and £6,909,005 in the declared value of the wool exported.

0. A decrease of 23 per cent in the estimated acreage and a prospective substantial decrease of approximately live bushels an acre in the yield of the wheat crop, resulting iu a prospective crop of approximately (3,500,000 bushels of wheat grown in the 1934-35 season, in comparison with an ascertained yield of slightly over 9,000,000 bushels in the 1933-34 season. The evidence at present available suggests that the local wheat crop may be insufficient to meet local requirements.

7. Little change in the acreage, but decrease in the yield per acre of oats, barley and potatoes.

S. An appreciable increase in the amount of pliospliatic fertiliser and of lime used.

"That the position in respect to farm production has been so satisfactory despite adverse circumstances may be attributed partly to the fact that the improvement in the standard of efficiency in our farming which has been in evidence over a period of years has been maintained i :_ve;i though the effect of this oil production lias been masked to some extent by the unfavourable weather experienced during the year; it also may be attributed partly to the fact that various long-range projects, such as systematic improvement of stock and crops, have now reached the stage when their beneficial results are being reflected more freely in production/' the report states.