PRODUCTION OF CEREALS

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26123, 27 May 1950, Page 2

PRODUCTION OF CEREALS

13 PER CENT. DECLINE IN FOUR YEARS

I received a nasty jolt when I discovered that the agriculturists were actually letting the people of this country down. In fact we are fairly making a mess o«f things.” said the retiring chairjnan (Mr A. Amos) at the annual meeting of the agricultural section of Mid-Canterbury Federated Farmers at Ashburton yesterday. “I found from the last agricultural and pastoral statistics (1948) that the Dominion wheat acreage had dropped 50 per cent., necessitating large quantities of wheat being imported to feed the people. The oat acreage had increased by 100 per cent, and yet oats were imported to kill a black market. Barley also increased by 100 per cent, but it was the wrong sort of barley—mostly feed—and to-day thousands of sacks are lying in stores and'we still import an odd shipment of malting barley.

“The pea acreage increased by 20 per cent, and only last year we were told that only a limited quantity of peas would be wanted for export to the United Kingdom. Did the growers take any notice? No. You know the result—large quantities of peas left on the growers’ hands. “During the four years to -1948 the acreage for the four cereals had declined 13 per cent, and wheat, the surest, safest and easiest handled, was the most .neglected of the lot. I thought perhaps that small seed growing might be the cause of the decline in the acreage of cereals. “Our agriculturists cannot claim any records except a record for complacency. We have shown that we cannot manage our own affairs and will not be told anything. I am wondering if the incentive price for the coming season’s crop will be able to shake us out of our complacency.” Farm Machinery Testing The establishment of a farm machinery testing institute should be pursued energetically, the meeting resolved. The section decided to write to the Minister of IndUstr/es ant' Commerce (Mr C. M. Bowden) requesting a better supply of heavy shears for stony land. “The lack of shears is no incentive to produce more wheat.” said Mr A. M. Hunt, who introduced the subject. The meetin" was not in favour of the suggested increase to Id for the wheat insurance premium. The suggestion originated in North Canterbury. The following officers were elected: chairman. Mr C. A. B. Filbrow; vicechairman. Mr J. MacMillan: delegates to executive, the chairman, vice-chair-man. and Mr C. T. A. Ward: delegates to lime committee, chairman and vicechairman; delegates to Dominion agricultural conference, chairman and vice-chairman.