BRITISH PRODUCTION.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20899, 5 July 1933, Page 14

BRITISH PRODUCTION.

COMPARISON WITH NEW ZEALAND. There may still be many in New Zealand who have a very vague idea of the high farming productivity of England and Wales. In a recent broadcast by Major Elliott, British Minister for Agriculture, it was stated that Britain produces more value in crops and stock from her own soil than any Dominion except Canada, and employs more men on the land than any Dominion, raising enough food for about 20,000,000 persons. Latest available statistics show that the population of the British Isles approximates 45,000,000. On the figures of population the production quota by Britain leaves approximately 25,000,000 persons to be supplied from other sources. One of those is New Zealand. Estimates of the principal crops of England and Wales for 1931 are shown hereunder against similar products obtained in New Zealand:— England New and Wales. Zealand. Wheat, bushels .. 35,896,000 7,579,153 Barley, bushels .. 31,476,000 837,096 Oats, bushels .. 69,400,000 3,376,609 Potatoes, tons .. 2,454,000 151,525 The average annual production of wheat in the United Kingdom during 1927-29 was 51,761,000 bushels. In live-stock numbers the comparison shows:— Sheep .. 18,478,000 28,091,788 Cattle .. 6,355,600 4,072.383 Horses .. 916,000 280,994 Great JBritain is one of the best buyers of Australian and New Zealand wool, but a fairly substantial clip is taken from "home-grown" sheep in the United Kingdom every season. For 1931, the shearing in England and Wales represented approximately 156,000,0001b of wool, which looks relatively small when contrasted against 912,141,0001b obtained in the Commonwealth, not to mention about 266,000,0001b shorn in New Zealand, making the clip for Australia and New Zealand in that year 1,178,141,0001b. From the statistics it is apparent that the British Isles are likely to remain

for a long time to come purchasers of considerable quantities of New Zealand and Australian primary products, in spite of the fact that from her own soil her agriculturists and pastoralists derive very substantial proportions of her people's needs,