WORLD GRAIN NEEDS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25301, 29 September 1947, Page 7

WORLD GRAIN NEEDS

“Deficit of About 3,000,000 Tons” REPORT ON US. EXPORTS

(Rec. 11 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Sep. 27. The Secretary of Commerce (Mr Avercll Harriman), as chairman or the President's Committee on Foreign Aid, submitted to President Truman to-day an interim report on the 1947-48 grain export programme. He said »n the report that the export of 500.000 000 bushels of United States wheat to needy countries would not impose hardship on the American people. Mr Harriman reported that if the European need for wheat was to be met, the first essential was to reduce the use of wheat for livestock, and the second was to acquire it for export. He declared: “A substantial export programme would not compel a disastrous liquidation of livestock, because the shipment abroad of 500,000,000 bushels of wheat (about 23,500,000 tops) would leave more than 250,000,000 bushels for feed.”

Argentine Export Prospects The world deficit would be about 3,000,000 tons of grain, even if the United States would make 15,000,000 tons available for export. Canadian exports would probably be smaller, but shipments from Argentina and Australia should be larger, with Argentina the most promising major area for the export of grain. Stocks of all grains in that country were about 4,000,000 tons larger on July 1, 1947, than on the same date a year ago. Mr Harriman reported that the reimposition of direct controls in the United States this winter would not solve the problem of the world shortage, and added: “Whether livestock in this country or human beings in the deficit areas abroad get the majpr portion of our surplus wheat depends first on prices, second on the behaviour of American consumers, and third on the action taken by the United States during the next few weeks.” In making recommendations, Mr Harriman said: “The most effective weapon that can be brought into play immediately to reduce the pressure on the grain markets is voluntary selfrationing by consumers. Such an effort must be led by the President.” Mr Harriman said that his committee would not make its final recommendations until it had an opportunity to study the report of the Paris conference on the Marshall plan, but said the present interim report was made “in view of the urgency of the food crisis in Europe and the necessity for immediate decisions with respect to grain procurement by the United States Government”