LOSSES BY FARMERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18247, 14 November 1922, Page 5

LOSSES BY FARMERS.

POSITION IN ENGLAND.

THE FALL IN PRICES. '

Agriculture, which had a few j ears of ! prosperity during the war, once more finds its fortunes at a low ebb, says a London paper. The heavy fall in the prices of the farmers' produce has far outstripped the outlay on the farm, oven though the costs of farming have declined. The result is that losses are the general rule among farmers this year, and even the most favourably situated aro wondering how they can carry on. Mr R. S. Gardiner, secretary of the Central Landowners' Association, said:— "The majority of farmers aro making losses this year, some of them very heavy losses. This remark applies to some ol the very best farmers, up-to-date, energetic men who could be counted an to make a success of farming if it were tlioy sell their farms they aro likely to realise so little that it would be difficult to start again. Also, the number of farms to let at present is small compared with what it used to be. With the break up of the. large estates -in the last few years thousands of farmers bought their own farms It is believed thero are now somo 20,000 more ownerfarmers than there were before the war. 'Many of these new owner-farmers could not buy their farms outright and had to raise a large part of the money on mortgage; frequently from banks. Thoy have little spare capital and some of the banks a,re pressing for a reduction of the mortgage, fearing the value of the security may have depreciated. Those who aro badly pressed for money have to rush, their produce on tp the market, and this action has the effect of knocking down prices still • further. "At present prices it docii not pay the farmer to grow stuff and the weather this year has added to his difficulties. "One of the things that will havo to be dono if farming is to be set on its feet again is to reduce the costs of production. The workers will have to do their §art by giving of their best. Farmers o not want to reduce wages, but the labour bill on a cotn-growtng farm is about half the expenditure." "It would be an assistance to the fanner, too, if tho lating of agricultural land were to bo placed on a more equitable basis, and we are pressing for that from the Government.

"Another great aid to the farmer would be the provision of means by which he could obtain short loans to carry him over the most critical period—something in the nature of land banks."