BRITISH WHEAT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21560, 3 August 1933, Page 9

BRITISH WHEAT

' QUOTA PAYMENT ' INCREASE ANNOUNCED GROWTH OF THE ACREAGE AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received August 2, 5.35 p.m.) < LONDON, Aug. 2 The Ministry of Agriculture announces an increase in the wheat quota payment in consequence of an increase of 30 per cent compared with last year in Britain's wheat acreage. A greater yield also is expected. Official returns show that the agricultural holdings in Britain in June exceeding one acre aggregated .30,508,000 acres, or 55,000 less than last year. The total corn area increased by 70,000 acr6s owing to an increase in wheat acreage by 372,000 to 1,660,000 acres. Bnrley contracted 21.9 per cent to 751,000 acres. Crops and grass totalled 25,112,000 acres,'or only 94 acres less than last year. The potato acreage increase was 2.8 per cent and sugar beet, 42.7. Cattle increased 4.1 per cent; sheep declined 2.2 per cent. Agricultural employment increased for the first time since 1924. The quota payment has been fixed at 3s 6d per 2801b. of flour, compared with 2s 9d last year. It is estimated that 27,000,000cwt. of wheat grown in. Britain will sell at an average price of 5s 8d per cwt. WORLD SUPPLIES IMPORTANCE OF RESERVES ESSENTIAL FOR MARKETS (Received August 2. 5.5 p.m.) OTTAWA, Aug. 1 Speaking at the World Grain Conference in Regina. Saskatchewan, today, Mr. H. L. of "Winnipeg, said:—"Canada's huge wheat carryover is part of the reserve essential for the world's markets. The time hasj come to forget the causes and cost of this carryover and recognise it for what .it has become. " The world's market can and does tolerate substantial reserves, and it would be highly intolerant of any other condition. Hunger and fear of hunger are too recent experiences for the greater part of mankind, and are too widely spread even at, the present day to make the world's markets anything but uneasy without there being constantly ahead a supply of food sufficient for many months. " Consequently the western elevator systems, in carrying a large part of the world's reserves, are performing a function of economic importance to the world. The wheat reserves of the world were once scattered on farms over the wheat producing countries but now they are largely concentrated in Canadian elevators." Plant breeding methods used in New Zealand and other technical subjects, such as the problom of cereal yield, cultural methods'and experiments with inter-tilled crops, were" discussed by agricultural scientists.