BELOW DEMAND

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 135, 5 December 1939, Page 12

BELOW DEMAND

FARM PRODUCTS

DECLINE IN ARABLE CROPS

"Evening Post," December 5,

Some rather startling facts relating to the reduction in arable crops in the Dominion are disclosed in the latest issue of the "New Zealand Journal of Agriculture." Wheat falls below the domestic requirements; last year fewer oats were grown than for the year before; there was less barley produced; potatoes and-onions were down on 1937-38. The article, written by Mr. A. T. Shannon, instructor in agricul- | ture, is illustrated with diagrams. 'Dealing with wheat, it is shown that the acreage "has shown an almost continuous decline since 1933-34 and production, which was 9,000,000 bushels then, has fallen to 5,500,000 bushels in 1938-39." In passing, New Zealand's dwn needs call for a production of fully 9,000,000 bushels. But the article also mentions that "local consumption has now shown a corresponding decline." Of the total production of wheat between 1,000,000 and 2,000,000 bushels are used for stock feeding. Imports of pollard, a by-product of milling, amount to 174,000 centals, 4 valued at £65,000 in 1937. Customs returns for 1938 show the following imports:— Quantity. Value, Wheat bushels .. 3,444,869 803,593 Pollard, centals .. 288,976 ,97,803 Barley, centals .. 222,148 82,301 The New Zealand wheat industry for many years past has been assisted by Governments past and present at the expense of the consumer in. the price of bread, by being made iDdependent of the vagaries of world wheat market fluctuations. Still it fails to fully meet New Zealand's own demands. This is shown by Mr. Shannon, who remarks: "New Zealand is far from self-supporting in wheat and in 1938-39 a further 91,000 acres would have been required to provide the 2,700,000 bushels imported, while on the average of the six seasons there is a deficiency of 55,000 acres." .For the 1939-40 season it is estimated that the wheat acreage will be 259,000 acres, an increase of 34 per cent, over the previous season. Given an average yield of 31 bushels to the acre and the average consumption of wheat over the past six years there will be a deficiency of about 700,000 bushels. "It would require another 22,000 acres to provide this." . . , Oats production is "satisfactory." Export is negligible. For milling purposes 650,000 bushels are required, or about one-quarter of the total quantity thrashed. There is generally a surplus of oats. Producers are protected by a duty of. Is-6d per cental. The estimated acreage in oats for 1939-40 at 254,000 acres-shows a decline of 26,000 acres, or 9 per cent. Barley.is grown mainly for malting, green feed, and for pigs and poultry. The industry is assisted by a minimum price schedule, grading standards, and contract growing. New Zealand is now self-supporting in malting barley and for the seasons 1938 and 1939 there were carry-overs. The decision of the British Government to import principally baconfer pigs should direct attention to the provision of cheap supplies of feed barley. Maize, growers are protected by> Is 6d per cental British and 2s per cental foreign, yet imports are necessary in most seasons. The potato yield is variable. For 1939-40 at 19,800 acres it shows an increase of 1800 acres on 1938-39 sowings, but this is 2500 acres below the aver- ■ age of the past six seasons. Potato acreages and tons to the acre over the past few years are /as follows: —

For 1939-40 production table potatoes should be apportioned as follows: — table, 72,000 tons; seed, 25,000; pig, 9000. Onions are a fluctuating crop. For 1933-34 the acreage was 1100 acres with 8.5 tons to the acre; for 1937-38 the acreage dropped to 600 acres, with a yield of 7.7 tons to the acre. Next year 700 acres were down in onions, giving 10.3 tons to the acre and pr6viding a balance for export. The most important fact;to the consumer is "that if he (or she) can buy onions at all they are priced at 9d per lb and in the luxury class. But although normally 800 acres are grown in onions. t/Lv. Shannon remarks, "it is not desirable to increase this acreage materially, otherwise gluts will occur." Imports for the current year have not. ceased and it is probable that the export balance will be reduced somewhat and local consumption thus increased. ''The local consumption of onions varies from year to year, largely as a result of price fluctuations." There appears to be a preference if not ; a -fashion in onions. Strong flavoured varieties, /brown Spanish for instance, are definitely not popular, and the persistence of mildew among crops of ";this variety /is ..disconcerting to growers.. . .Thin-skinr^e'd onions are easily /damaged, thick-skinned .dry slowly. Imports of >6nions during certain; times pi the year ,• appear to be inevitable; on the other hand, New Zealand exports onions : to Canada and Australia at other times of the year, and sent away 5000 tons during. January, to. May this'year.

3933-34 1934-35 1935-36 1936-37 1937-38 1938-39 Acres. 25,000 23.000 23,000 22,500 23,000 18.000 Tons to acre, 5.2 4.7 5.3 5.6 6.4 4.9