REDUCED ACREAGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27247, 25 November 1949, Page 7

REDUCED ACREAGE

American Food Production

Lack Of Effective Demand ’ For Crops

NZPA—Copyright WASHINGTON, Rec. 9 p.m. Nov. 23,

America would have to reduce her farm acreage, the Food and Agriculture Organisation was told to-day by Mr Stanley Andrews, director of foreign agricultural relations, who said America’s great war-time expansion in food production had been achieved through the dropping of some of her pre-war soil conservation practices. Several million acres of dry land areas had been turned back to grain production, but now, because of the lack of an effective demand for crops, and also in Order to promote sound use, some land must be allowed to rest. Mr Andrews said this did not mean the United States intended to produce only for its domestic needs. The United States had offered to place 100,000,000 bushels in the world wheat pool, in addition to the 165,000,000 she was committed to export under the International Wheat Agreement. Mr James Gardiner, Canadian Minister of Agriculture, said Canada was finding it difficult to market some of her production and considered the time had. come to rest some of her land.

Mr James Dillon, Irish Minister of Agriculture, called on the United States and Britain to disclose their intention about the future convertibility of sterling, declaring that all conferences and deliberatiqns were dependent on that situation.

Mr Dillon said: “If unconvertibility is to be a long-term factor in our lives we shall inevitably strangle one another. It is necessary to know whether we are to plan for a long siege or live in a normal world where you can buy goods for ' cash and not through bureaucratic transactions.” He said that if Britain broke down under the appalling burdens she had been carrying for the last 10 years, “then, as certain as we are in this room to-day, the third world war will be fought in Texas and the forces of freedom will not prevail.” Mr Dillon suggested that for a limited period there should be an unlimited passage of men, money and materials between Britain and the United States.