PRODUCTION OF WHEAT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21905, 17 March 1933, Page 7

PRODUCTION OF WHEAT

SUGGESTED LIMITATION AN AMERICAN MOVEMENT (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) WASHINGTON, March 15. The United States Government is seeking a world-wide agreement with Canada, Australia, Argentina, Russia, and the Balkans to limit the production of wheat. Unofficial discussions so far are understood to include a conference between Mr W. D. Herridge (Canadian Minister) and President Roosevelt. The proposition is expected to be made the subject of further diplomatic conversations, culminating, if possible, in an agreement at the World ' Economic Conference. SUPPORT IN CANADA. WINNIPEG, March 15. “It appears that the United States has given us the lead we have sought for a long time,” Mr J. I. MTarland, general manager of the Canadian Cooperative Wheat Producers, Ltd., said to-day. Mr M'Farland, who has long been an advocate of orderly world wheat production, said that the farmers of Western Canada for a long time had stressed the folly of increased production in view of world conditions. VIEWS OF ALBERTA FARMERS. CALGARY, March 15. The United Farmers of Alberta for some time have favoured some step that will solve the wheat problem of the world. Mr Priestly, the U.F.A. vicepresident, said that the U.FiA. favoured a conference, but not with the sole object of limiting wheat production, but to survey the whole field. If limitation of production was found inadvisable some other plan would be discussed. MARKET DUE TO IMPROVE. OTTAWA, March 15. It is learned on good authority that Canada would be prepared to enter into conversations with the wheat-producing countries. The feeling here, however, is that the wheat market will come out of the present depression on its own accord. Recently the Minister of Trade and Commerce (Mr H. H. Stevens) made an optimistic speech in the House as to the improvement in wheat prices with world supplies diminishing. About the same time Mr W. R. Motherwell, a former Liberal Minister of Agriculture, took the same view. Any agreement to fix an export quota, Mr Motherwell said, would be too late to help the present situation, as the market was due to improve because of reduced supplies without artificial regulations. He thought that an agreement as to export quotas would be a good thing to protect grain growers against a recurrence of disastrous prices. 'BROAD OUTLINE OF PLAN. WASHINGTON, March 15. Broadly, the plan is to set quotas for the quantity of wheat which may be produced each year by the great wheat countries. Similar international agreements regarding other agricultural products may be undertaken later, (.hough the plans have not yet taken definite shape. The United States itself will be taking definite action to reduce the production of wheat and other products if Congress enacts the farm relief legislation which it will be asked to do shortly in a special message by President Roosevelt. Among the principal features expected will be authority for the Secretary of Agriculture to lease from farmers a part of their land to take it out of production. Numerous attempts have been made previously to get an international agreement to limit wheat production, but, definite action has been prevented, partly because the United States has taken no definite step to reduce its own output. The fact that the United States has no diplomatic relations with Russia has some bearing on the problems involved, but it is hoped that the Soviet will participate in the Economic Conference.