WHEAT SUPPLIES

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 70, 23 March 1920, Page 10

WHEAT SUPPLIES

SMALL ITELD FORECASTED.

(Ml TEI.EORAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

CHRISTCHURCH, 22nd March.

The action of the Government in regard to wheat supplies was further explained by the Hon. W. Nosworthy (Minister of Agriculture) to-night.i He said the area sown in. wheat had. declined to a marked degree during the last two years. The area sown in wheat in 1918-19 was 208,030 acres, which produced 6,567,629 bushels. This year the official estimate of the land in wheat was 142,960 acres—the lowest since 1876 —and, with an estimated yield of 29 bushels to the acre, this would produce only 4,145,840 bushels. This yield would not be sufficient for the requirements of the Dominion, but with about 2,000,000 bushels of Australian wheat on hand it, was hoped, with the small' carry-over from last harvest, that the supply for the next twelve months would be sufficient to meet internal demands. The efforts of the" Government in the past to ensure adequate supplies of wheat had met with success, and though he was a little sceptical about the supply for the ensuing year he hoped his fears would be groundless.

"But what of the position for the succeeding year?" he asked. "I have gathered from various sources during the la-st few days that there is every indication that sufficient wheat will not be sowu to fulfil local requirements. If my information proves to be correct, it means that the Government will again have to resort to outside markets. This is the last step the Government wishes to take, but the fact a-emains that ~as Minister of Agriculture at is my duty to see that there is sufficient wheat in the Dominion for our wants, and there will be no other course open but to buy wheat on the outside market." Wheat, he continued, was one of the most important commodities required in this country. The Government recognises this, and once the Dominion proved it was selfsupporting the policy of the Government would be to maintain this industry on a permanently satisfactory basis.

Having again explained the prices for the 1920-21 crop, Mr Nosworthy concluded : "On behalf of the Government I wish to make a very strong appeal to farmers to grow as much wheat as they possibly can this year, in order that sufficient may be produced for the Dominion's requirements, and thus avoid the necesisity of going to Australia, or elsewhere for supplies. I trust that farmers, when they realise th» position, will respond to the appeal of the Government. To my mind it is a very serious state of things when a young country such as this is unable to satisfy its own wants as far as wheat is concerned."