BIGGER WHEAT CROP

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22435, 23 June 1938, Page 17

BIGGER WHEAT CROP

FIRST ESTIMATE OF ACREAGE INCREASE IN SPITE OF! BAD .WEATHER RETURNS FROM MORE THAN 100 FARMS An increase of at least 10 per cent in the total acreage under wheat this year in New Zealand is forecast by returns from 115 farms, of plantings already made and projected. This gain, although substantial, falls a long way short of the improvement of last year’s total that would have been achieved had the weather been better for sowing. The 115 farms, particulars of whose wheat plantings are so far available for the. most part come from districts which are not the heaviest for wheat-growing. Some of them are in districts of heavy land, the suitability of which for planting has been seriously affected by the abnormal rainfall so far this year. Some districts in South Canterbury, for instance, where it was hoped to put a much bigger acreage in wheat, report a slight decrease, solely because of the heavy rain. • . ‘ Over the whole 115 farms—which do not represent the best wheat districts—the increase shown is 7.42 per cent, on the actual figures for last year. When the returns from the Mid-Canterbury and North Canterbury districts are available in quantity, it is confidently expected that the total acreage increase on last year will be at the very least 10 per cent. An increase of about 10 per cent., based on the Abstract of Statistics estimate of the 1937-38 acreage, would put this year’s acreage at about 196,000. This is below .thfe 10yearly average from 1927-28 to 1936-37 by more than 50,000 acres. That average was 255,500 acres, and it had been hoped to go near achieving that mark this year—until bad weather made it impossible. The estimated yield for last year’s acreage was 32 bushels to the acre, and the total yield 5,730.000' bushels. A 10 per cent increase this year would bring the figure up to approximately 6,303,000 bushels. A higher yield than 32 bushels an acre—the highest so far recorded is about 36.5 would of course materially increase this figure, V Sowings in Spring The returns so far received from the 115 farms give the acreage actually under wheat and a careful estimate of the area which will be planted in later' sowings. What sprang sowings actually will be made will, of course depend largely on the weather, but the estimates so far given are on a conservative basis. ■ " ■ • Individual returns taken at random from the figures supplied show that South Canterbury . and North Otago, where, the rain has- checked sowing to a huge extent, may actually be down on last year’s total, but Otago, Southland, and the big areas of North and Mid-Canterbury are expected to show a big increase. A more accurate estimate will of course be available when returns are available from the 500 farms, records of whose acreage are each year kept officially. The returns for 115 of the 500 so far supplied indicate, however, that an increase of at least the 10 per cent, mentioned is almost certain.