Food Barely Keeps Pace With People

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30270, 24 October 1963, Page 24

Food Barely Keeps Pace With People

(N.ZP.A .-Reuter—Copyright) ROME, October 22. World agricultural output in 1962-63 rose “slightly more than the estimated annual population growth of just under two per cent,” but the main increases were in Europe and North America “rather than in the lessdeveloped regions where they are most needed.”

No major change is indicated in production for 196364, the Food and Agriculture Organisation says. Higher prices of some commodities on world markets in 1962-63 “will probably prove only temporary,” the organisation predicts. Last year’s higher output was largely due to record crops of wheat, barley and cotton, it says. Compared with the previous year the wheat harvest was up 11 per cent, barley 15 per cent and cotton 5 per cent. Oats, maize, sugar, citrus fruit, coffee, cocoa and jute all fell. Increased agricultural production ranged from 4 to 5 per cent in Africa, the Near East, Oceania and Western Europe, to only 1 per cent in the Far East (excluding China). Agricultural production rose by 2 per cent in North America and by an estimated 3 per cent in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. There was no official information on China but it appeared there was “some increase in production in 196263 following the series of unSavounable seasons that began in 1959-60.” Among the less developed regions the Near East was the only one where food production per head had been consistently maintained at more than pre-war level In Africa it was less than before the war. It was “particularly dis-

quieting’’ that in the Far East (excluding China) the pre-war level of food production per head had been briefly regained only in 196062, and had since declined. World fertiliser use rose by 280 per cent while the crop area increased by less than 20 per cent between 1945 and i 960, the F.A.O. said. Consumption was highest in Europe, North America and Oceania and lowest in Latin America, the Far and Near East, the Soviet Union and Africa. World food output could be raised three or four times by more fertiliser and improved agricultural methods, it added.