ARABLE CROPS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 50, 26 January 1933, Page 10

ARABLE CROPS

EXCELLENT PROSPECTS. WELLINGTON, Jan. 25. The 1932-33 producing season opened under much more favourable cilmatic conditions than its predecessor, and at the end of the past year the prospects for arable crops were excellent generally. This observation was made by the Director-General of Agriculture, Dr. C. J. Reakes, in a review of farming conditions during 1932. Dr. Reakes said that the total area of wheat threshed in the 1932 harvest was 268,756 acres, compared with 249,014 acres for the preceding year. Owing to droughty conditions in Canterbury and Otago, the peracre yield was the lowest recorded for many years past—namely, 24.49 bushels, compared with 30.44 bushels on an area of 249,014 acres in the 1930-31 season. The area under wheat for the current season of 1932-33 was estimated at 294,000 acres and an average yield of 33.34 bushels per acre was considered to be probable, representing a total crop of up to 10,000,000 bushels. This would necessitate the exportation of a considerable surplus. Oats for chaff and threshing in 1931- showed a decrease in area from 311,021 to 297,182 acres. The average yield was 41.03 bushels per acre, compared with 38.7 in the previous, season. The area under oats for the 1932- season is estimated at 407,000 acres. Barley occupied an area of 27,000 acres in 1931-32. For the current season the area was estimated to have fallen to 19,000 acres. Maize for threshing fell in 1931-32 to 5965 acres from 7168 acres in the preceding season. Owing mainly to unfavourable weather conditions, the areas of ryegrass, cocksfoot, etc., harvested for seed in the 1931-32 season decreased considerably. For the current season, however, large increases were expected. Especially did this apply to perennial rye-grass, under the stimulating influence of the Government certification system. The scope of this valuable activity, it might be mentioned, had been further extended during the year. Statistics for 1931-32 show a drop in the area devoted to potatoes from 28,459 acres to 23,786 acres. The peracre yield also dropped from 5.3 tons to 4.91 tons. Low prices during the year had resulted in further reduction in cropping area for the current season, for which the estimate was only 21,300 acres.