DEAR WHEAT EXPECTED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17427, 24 March 1920, Page 7

DEAR WHEAT EXPECTED

VICTORIAN minister's PLAN.

APPEAL FOE RECORD CROP.

CAMPAIGN AMONG FARMERS.

Efforts are being made by the Victorian Government to secure a wheat crop of 4,000,000 acres. During the past four years the area under wheat in- the State has declined from 3,679,00(5 acres to 2,214,000 acres.

Pamphlets that are being distributed by the Department of Agriculture among farmers in the wheat country state that when a similar appeal was made five years ago the response was a crop of acres, of which 450,000 acres ! were cut for hay. Farmers were now being urged to sow a Peace crop of 4,000,000 acres and, with favourable autumn rains, this should be possible. In an address to farmers, the Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Oman, said the more wheat" campaign was part of the general effort to increase production in order to meet the war debt. Discussing the prospects for wheat-growing, Mr. Oman said wheat was bringing famine prices in Europe. -The teaching of history was that the price of wheat soared after every war, and the recent trend of wheat prices indicated that history would again repeat itself. Several must elapse before Europe could be supplied with sufficient food to feed the starving populations and maintain normal reserves. Should the new crop harvested in the northern hemisphere fall short of requirements, further increases in prices would appear inevitable. Next year, with a good season and a large acreage under crop, Victoria would be in a fine position to meet her war obligations by disposing of her surplus wheat at highly favourable prices. Tne Government had guaranteed a minimum price of 5s a bushel. Wheatgrowers therefore knew before they sowed that the price at harvest would be profitable. He urged them to bend their energies to the sowing of a record acreage during the coming season. A heavy crop would give a large exportable surplus, which' would realise high prices abroad.