The Grey River Argus MONDAY, August 12, 1946. BRITAIN’S FOOD PROBLEM

Grey River Argus, 12 August 1946, Page 4

The Grey River Argus MONDAY, August 12, 1946. BRITAIN’S FOOD PROBLEM

Farmers in this country will acclaim the increase in prices' for their food exports to Britain, even if they suggest that the increase should have equalled that which Britain is paying the Danes. There is, a suggestion that next year may see the prices on a par, as Britain has secured all of the New Zealand and Australian export for a period of years, and might next year raise the price for them, and reduce the price for the Danes. The latter, of course, have the advantage in Britain of a consumer’s preference, and, in addition, if Britain can induce t’he Dominions to forgo part of their sterling funds in London, it would in effect be a means of benefiting Dominion exporters at the. expense of the

other sections of the Dominion population. The present juncture is one when some definite change of Britain’s economy in, the direction of greater home production of food might take its rise. Exports may now be on fihe increase, but may finally fall short of prewar dimensions unless they find new markets. Even in'. India new industries are starting; while the Dominions, in spite of any complaints from their exporters or importers, have since 1939 set rip industries which they will not in future sacrifice, as employment must be maintained. Indeed, British capitalists are themselves setting up factories in t|he Dominions, thus indicating their estimate of the prospects. The farmers of Britain are more vocal than ever in the stand for financial inducement to augment their production. Industrial capitalists for a century past have been able to dictate maximum importations of food and other farm products as a means of enabling exporters of manufatures to compete in oversea markets. The reason has, of course, been the relative cheapness of food imports, produced on a scale far more massive than Britain’s own. It now would appear that this factor of cheapness is steadily vanishing. British farmers are asking wfhy, when Danish farmers can obtain high prices, these are not also available for British farmers. In the war period the latter have greatly enlarged their output, and they naturally are anxious to maintain their output. .Wages lhave just been raised 10s per week, and the farmers look for a price equivalent. The Minister of Agriculture, who is sympathetic, with the idea of expansion in the industry, proposes that for the time being prices remain as they are, stating Uhat farm efficiency is growing, and prices will be reviewed in six months’ time. The farmers’ estimate that wages increase will raise costs by £20,000,000 he regards as excessive by £1,500,000. If, however, Britain is calculated to benefit by herself producing definitely more of her food for the future, the principle of making such production as attractive as possible cannot be gainsaid. To give an advantage for imports, whiclli a refusal of good home prices would entail, might appear to be consistent with the policy since the repeal of the corn laws, the object of which was the cheapest food supply—but in t'he light of vising food prices to-day so generally, it might be a shortsighted policy. At anyrate, it is evident that the British farmers are to-day better organised than for decades past, whilst they are calculated to' afford alternative scope for employment in the event, of manufacturing not proving in future so predominant as it has been up to #he present. One thing obvious is that the country now needs the most food .that it can itself produce. Unless something unforseen forces world food prices down, as certain New Zealand prophets in the cities suggest, it is going to be as good a prospect for any country to produce food or anything else. The resources for farming throughout the world are lessening. Dominion and other countries have shortsightedly exploited the soil in a manner which has definitely lessened its fertility, and the so-called “law” of diminishing returns is operating far more widely than many imagine. It is so in New Zealand, Australia, and America, whereas I in Britain itself, as in other Eurol pcan countries, a more conservative technique has fostered productivity, and soil consciousness is more widely shared. Agriculturists in new countries have nearly all been prone to over exploit, the land, because of the relatively greater areas and holdings, and droughts, erosion, and deterioration of fhc soil are a growing problem. If the war period taught the lesson of self reliance in the matter of food, the post-war famines have driven that lesson home. If, in short, it is wise to-day for New Zealand to make even wheat growing more payable than ever before, it Should be wise for Britain to encourage her whole farming industry in the same way