WHEAT PRODUCTION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19691, 19 January 1926, Page 4

WHEAT PRODUCTION.

WHY NEW ZEALAND IMPORTS. CONSUMPTION' AND YIELD CONTRASTED. As the wheat control question has'not yet been settled finally by Cabinet, a survey of the whole position of production and New Zealand consumption which has been made by the Government Statistician is a timely contribution to the subject. It shows clearly when the Dominion has to import wheat and the way in which local production has steadily been reclining in relation to the growing population. To feed New Zealanders the quantity of wheat needed each year runs into 7.350.000 bushels. Further supplies arc required for seed and for poultry feed, which makes the annual consumption eight million bushels. The milling wheat is turned into 153,000 tons of flour, and it is estimated that 48 tons of wheat are needed to make a ton of flour. The quality of the crop is high, for loss than 5 per Vent, of the usual harvest is classed as •‘seconds.” Last season's proportion was 4.04 per cent. The .remarkable fact is evident that the proportion of millers’ “seconds” is greater when the harvest is poor, and least when the harvest is exceptionally good. As for the yield per acre. Now Zealand stands high. Its agriculture is not so intensive ak that of closelysettled Continental countries, yet it is only exceeded by one or two European countries, and stands at 27.78 bushels per acre, against the Australian average of 11.23 bushels. PRODUCTION PER HEAD. It has been found that when the yield of New Zealand wheat falls below about six bushels per acre for every person in the Dominion, supplies must be imported to make good the deficiency. The production on this basis during the last six years has been calculated, and the figures show the year when imports were neees sary, and also when there was a surplus for export. Production Year. per head. 1!) 19-20 3.60 1020-21 3.42 1021 22 3.12 1022 23 6.33 1023- 3.10 1024- 3.95 An abnormal harvest in 1922 enabled 1.250.000 bushels to be exported, and there was also a small surplus in 1923. On the other hand, the abnormally low production in 1923-24 involved the importation of over four million bushels.