Barley down, wheat up

Press, 3 December 1982, Page 18

Barley down, wheat up

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has estimated that plantings of barley in Canterbury this year are 20 per cent down on the total area planted last year. The confidence of farmers in barley appears to have slumped somewhat following the buoyant period for the grain when the South Island Export Barley Society was getting established. The M.A.F. has estimated that around 44,500 hectares of North. Central, Mid and

South Canterbury have been planted to barley, compared with 56,770 ha last year. But total production from the smaller area planted will probably exceed that of last year, because of the much more favourable growing conditions so far this season. Plantings in Canterbury to wheat have increased only marginally this year compared to last year. The M.A.F. estimates that 43.240 ha have been planted. 1.3 per cent higher than last year's 42,654 ha. There has been a substantial increase in the amount of land sown to oats in Canterbury — up 33 per cent from 9000 ha to 12.000 ha. Indeed the M.A.F. estimates that total plantings in New Zealand of oats have increased 31 per cent to 19.705 ha. The overall reduction in barley plantings is estimated to be 13 per cent — down from 94.226 ha throughout New Zealand to 81,805 ha. The area planted to wheat has increased, 2.1 per cent from 76,254 ha to 77,876 ha. That planted to oats has increased from 15’008 ha to 19.705 ha.