FOOD SHORTAGES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21605, 6 January 1945, Page 4

FOOD SHORTAGES

DROUGHT EFFECT SAVING EVERY CROP EXCEPTIONAL SEASON (Special Correspondent.) Ol a.m.) SYDNEY. Jan. (i. "Australia Ims reached tlie limit o! her food production, governed principally by man-power difficulties, and will have to strain every muscle io maintain the present output." says Professor 11. Priestley, a member of the Commonwealth Nutrition Committee. Professor Priestly has just returned from London conferences with nutrition experts from the United Slates, Canada and Britain on civilian food problems. While Australian civilians were heller off than British people in most food respects, tho amount of visible fat products available in the two countries was about the same, said Professor Priestley. The British people had a weekly ration of 2oz of butter or margarine, and -log of cooking fat. while Australians bad only a (io?. ration of butter. The United States and Canada were better off than Australia in every way. gas--1 renoi rurally. A derailed survey of Australia's food position indicates that the civilian diet tor the coming year will be more frugal, but still ample. Much depends on Ihe period of ihe proseni disastrous drought, the effects of which are already being felt on Ihe fend front in restricted supplies of mill;, eggs, vegetables and some cereal products. Among The Best-Fed People "Despite the drought. Australia will continue to be one of the best-fed areas in the world in 1945 —for what that is worth,” writes the Sydney Morning Herald’s agricultural correspondent to-day. Probably only in North America. New Zealand, white South Africa. Eire (in some products). and in bulk the United States armed forces, will people cat more and better food.

Present indications are that the drought will extend into March, by which time it is likely to have a serious effect on Australia’s capacity to fulfil her food commitments to Great Britain and to the Allied forces in ihe South-west Pacific. In order that the utmost may be done to maintain these supplies, an emergency labour corps may be formed to harvest fruit and vegetables. The Commonwealth Director-General of Manpower. Mr. I!. Funnoll, in announcing this, said to-day that the drought had made it imperative that. all. cropshould bo harvested and processed without loss. Further special consideration would have to be given to rural labour needs. In the past year nearly 23,000 men had been released f'-om tiie forces for rural industry while about 12,000 prisoners of war had also been placed on farms. Heavy Inroads into Supplies

Tiie Federal Minister of Commerce and Agriculture, Mr. W. J. Scully, has announced that Hie Government is seeking to import oats, barley and maize from overseas. Oat stocks have been “frozen” to satisfy the demands for seed. Heavy inroads into Australian wheat supplies are being made by the use of 1,000.000 bushels a week for stock-reed. In norma] times Australia used -fewer Than !0.000 bushels of wheat per year .for ihis purpose.

Tiie first severe civilian food shortage brought about by tiie drought is in in ilk. Following the driest season over recorded, the yield of many herds has dropped as much as 50 per cent. Rationing i? already in force. Dairy farmers in New South Wales are threatening to withhold civilian milk supplies from Sydney and Newrustic unless they are paid Is Hid per gallon, instead of is liv'd as at pro;ntl. They say the latter price does not cover their costs. Their demands are widely supported.

While all vegetables are scarce potatoes are practically unprocurable in New South. Wales. Until July any available civilian supplies may be diverted io “vulnerable groups,”.such as infants and nursing mothers. Citrus fruit crops, affected first by frost and then by drought, will be the poorest for many .years.