Wheat Sowings Review

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31760, 17 August 1968, Page 10

Wheat Sowings Review

The fields superintendent of the Department of Agriculture in Christchurch (Mr A. R. Dingwall) is hopeful that wheat sowings in Canterbury this season will be about in line with predictions made earlier in the season, except possibly in South Canterbury and the forecast was that there would be a decline of about 5 per cent on last year’s area.

The South Canterbury district is the most backward area in the province in sowings, and at the end of June only about 25 per cent of the forecast acreage had been sown. Mr Dingwall said that the area had just been getting to the stage where sowings could be resumed when there was heavy rain again earlier this week.

While wheat could probably be sown a little later in that region than elsewhere in the province, it was likely that wheat not sown by the end of September would not be sown at all. This meant that there were about six to eight weeks left for sowings. In North Canterbury, north of the Waimakariri, Mr Dingwall said, assuming the weather remained favourable until the end of September, the intended acreage should be sown. Sowings had been continuing early this month, and merchants had reported that sales of seed wheat were then about in line with those made last season. There had also been an inquiry in this area for spring wheats. In the Christchurch area sowings had been proceeding this month on the medium and lighter soils, but there were still damp patches on heaviei soils where sowings were held up. This latter position also applied in some other areas.

Sowings in Mid-Canterbury had also been reported to be up to schedule, and here also it was anticipated that the acreage contemplated would be achieved. Mr Dingwall said that growers would be attempting to sow as much wheat as they could before switching to sowing barley. It was estimated that probably about 60,000 acres remained to be sown in the province. The figure given for last year’s crop in the province was 185,000 acres. A 5 per cent reduction would mean that the crop would be about 175,000 acres, and it was his feeling that the area would not fall below 170,000 acres, but in the event of South Canterbury only being able to get about half of its crop in, then the area could drop back to 165,000 acres. It might still, however, be about 175,000 acres. As far as he knew, Mr Dingwall said, Hilgendorf remained out of favour as a variety among growers, and there had been no increase in interest in it. This followed poor results with Hilgendorf last season.