FOOD PRODUCTION IN S.E. ASIA

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29190, 28 April 1960, Page 20

FOOD PRODUCTION IN S.E. ASIA

Great Potential Seen By Mr R. G. Dick (From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, April 27. South-east Asian countries will be capable of absorbing many hundreds of millions more people if Western nations assist them in the proper planning and development of land settlement schemes, in the opinion of the Surveyor-General <Mr R. G. Dick), who recently spent a month in the area on Colombo Plan and S.E.A.T.O. business. He instanced Borneo, where there were only 12 people a square mile’, compared with New Zealand’s 25.

Addressing members of the Pacific Islands Association, Mr Dick said that he had always thought that the South-east Asian population was greater than the food-producing capacity of available land. After his recent tour of the area, he found he had to revise that opinion. “I am satisfied that there is in this area a potential for many more hundreds of millions of people.” he said. “But it is ov’er to countries like New Zealand, with our experience in agricultural development. and our knowledge of growing two blades of grass where one grew before, to provide the technical help which will assist these new nations to provide a higher standard of living for their people.”