WORLD FOOD CRISIS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 21 July 1944, Page 2

WORLD FOOD CRISIS

DWINDLING OF RESERVES URGENT NEED FOR PRODUCTION The food position that the world faces now, and in the next few years, can well be described as a “food crisis.” A year ago there appeared to be large reserves of food in the Allied countries, sufficient to take care of the huge demand that was anticipated at Europe is liberated from the Nazi yoke. To-day, these reserves have dwindled to such an extent as to give ground for very serious thought. In certain types of foodstuffs we are immediately facing difficulty.

This statement was made by the President of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, Mr W. W. Mulholland, at the annual conference yesterday. The heavy demands which the war in the Pacific is making on the supplies from Australia and New Zealand is having a serious effect upon the amount of certain critical foodstuffs that are available for Britain, he went on. Britain has maintained the health of her population during the War by a carefully considered and balanced diet. This diet requires sufficient supplies of meat and dairy produce, and the only countries from which the additional supplies required can come during the War are. for practical purposes. Australia and New Zealand. There is no danger of Britain going short of bread-stuffs, and there is no shortage of shipping to carry the meat and dairy produce, if it is available. The trouble is an absolute shortage of available production.

It is to meet this need, so urgent and so important to the present conduct of the War, as well as to the future of Britain herself, that the farmers of New Zealand are asked to make the highest possible contribution within their power. The fall in production which has taken place this season is more to be regretted on account of this situation. It is imperative that we do all we can to recover the ground that we have lost, and to this end it is necessary to understand the causes which j have brought it about. FACTORS IN DECLINE I would give first place to climatic conditions as the greatest factor in bringing about a decline in production last season. It is pleasant to be able to say that the weather during this autumn and early winter has been very propitious, and points to next season commencing under highly favourable auspices so far as this factor is concerned. A shortage of supplies, particularly |of fertilisers, is another quite important factor. Another major factor ’n the decline, is the shortage of available labour. This l.as particularly affected the dairying industry.