LINEN FLAX CROPS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24733, 9 October 1941, Page 9

LINEN FLAX CROPS

RETURNS TO SOUTHLAND GROWERS (Special) INVERCARGILL, Oct. 8. One Southland farmer living in the Otautau district has received a return of £27 19s an acre for the seven acres of linen flax grown by him last year. That return was exceptional, but 10 other farmers in either the Winton or the Otautau districts have received more than £2O an acre from their initial crops of flax, and one farmer in the Otautau district whose crop was rejected for fibre because of shortness received slightly more than £2O an acre for the seed alone.

The high figures quoted may give the impression that flax is the most profitable crop which could be grown, but the average returns were considerably lower. In the Winton district 41 crops accepted averaged £l4 17s Bd, and 32 accepted crops in the Otautau district averaged £ls 2s. In the two districts the average return was about £l4 an acre. Twelve growers received more than £2O an acre, 73 received between £lO and £2O an acre, and 20 less than £lO an acre.