WORLD’S FARM OUTPUT

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26887, 13 November 1952, Page 9

WORLD’S FARM OUTPUT

“Food Needs Not Begun To Be Met”

(Rec. 8 p.m.) ROME, November 12. The world has made slight headway in agricultural output this year, but its need for more food has not yet begun to be met, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation.

The organisation said in its report on 1952 that there had been an agricultural production increase this year of about 2 per cent., compared with last year, but the increase had been in cpmmodities other than food. The report found that in the leastdeveloped and most heavily populated areas the average single consumption was still substantially below pre-war averages.

The report suggested that bigger investments of public and private funds in agriculture, as well as international agreements, were needed to satisfy the growing demands of mankind and to stabilise food economy.

“Much more active and positive measures than those yet taken by governments will be needed before world food production begins to increase at more than its present inadequate pace,” the report said. It advocated that arrangements for prices and markets and marketing methods must be greatly improved to. confidence to producers. Retail prices which the mass of the world’s people can afford to pay should be maintained.