CANTERBURY CROPS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21347, 23 November 1932, Page 5

CANTERBURY CROPS

problems for farmers

Commenting on the promise of a good season, a writer in a Christchnrch journal suggests that the problem this year will be what to do with the crops. For three years immediately preceding 1930 tlie average wheat yield was 35i bushels to the acre, and in the three years since it was down to 28 bushels. The official estimate of next season's acreage is 294,000 acres so that if the average yield should bo UP 10 the 35- bushels of the earlier period instances, it will represent a crop of over 9,500,000 bushels. Although it la too early to make any more than n guess there is a possibility that there will be a o; substantial surplus rf "heat from next harvest. Should this become necessary the equalisation scheme of the Wheat Marketing Board will assist the export o his unwanted excess. The oats acreage will be substantially larger than last seaTon, according to. the.Government; esUmate The respective figures sue 407,000 and 364,354 acres. The yield m Canterbury w sea son was the lowest for years, yet 'here was very little market, had there Sen any outside demand oats must have reached a much higher price, in spite of the fact that Southland had a bumper crop The poor market last season, combined with the present prospects of a heavy yield per acre and a much increased area for the coming harvest, do not promfse very well for next season's market. Howeverf it is obvious to the country travellers that there are more teams now on the farms, requiring more oats for home, consumption, and a n,^proportion f nn fc crop is now destined for green fe'ed for so that.tbe official figures need nob be taken as indicating thatthe increased area represents a proportionate in oats and chaff for marketing.