OUR PRIMARY PRODUCTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3671, 22 July 1924, Page 12

OUR PRIMARY PRODUCTS.

The interim returns issued by the Statistician afford some interesting details regarding production and live stock for the year just ended. The serious decline in the production of wheat and oats is offset by an appreciable jncrease in the numbers of sheep and cattle. In view of the extremely poor season experienced for grain and pulse crops generally, the figures are of more than passing interest. The interim results (which should not vary greatly from the final ones) give a total area of wheat of 175,885 acres, oi which 171,418 acres were thrashed, yielding 4,097,601 bushels, or at the rate of 23.29 bushels per acre. In November last the total area of wheat was estimated at 185,000 acres, whilst in February the total yield was estimated at 4,250,000 bushels, the average per acre being 23.27 bushels. The almost absolute agreement between the pre-estimate and the preliminary results is especially remarkable, following, as it does, an error in tne estimate for 1922-23 of only 0.04 bushels per acre. For oats the yield is 30.43 bushels per acre. The amount, thrashed probably represents an unprecedently low proportion, being only 15.62 per cent, of the total area under crop, as against 31.69 per cent., the average for the five seasons ending with 1922-23.

It is worthy of note that all live stock have increased during the year in the Dominion. The increase shown in the number of sheep and lambs is of great interest, being 583,350 for the year. We may indicate' the details as follows, the figures- for 1922-23 being in parentheses :—- Horses, 331,040 (330,818); dairy cows, I, (1,246,643); total * cattle, 3,545,707 (3,480,694) ; sheep (shorn), 21,016,690 (20,420,119) ; lambs (tailed), 11, (10,895,521); sheep and lambs, 23,584,789 (23,081,439) ; pigs, 420,679 (400,889). Crops: Wheat, 171,418 acres (275,775), 4,097,601 bushels (8,395,023); oats, 64,883 acres (143,090), 1,974.345 bushels (5,688,157) ; oats for chaff, 324,320 acres (302,216); barley, 21,778 acres (17,473), 617,276 bushels (698,040). The area and yield of wheat for the year 1923-24 is as follows: —Canterbury, 136,519 acres, yield 3,308,555 bushels; Otago, 23,935 acres, 510,874 bushels; Wellington, 3692 acres, 99,366 bushels; Southland, 3827 acres, 95,522 bushels; Marlborough, 1890 acres, 46,486 bushels; the small balance being more or less evenly distributed in tlie various other land districts.

An increase of 65,013 in the total cattle of New Zealand is shown by the interim returns of live stock at January 31, 1924. The total cattle at the before mentioned date was 3,545,707, the increases in dairy cows alone being 61,181, the total being 1,309,824 compared with 1,248,643 the year previously. The distribution of dairy cows according to land districts visualises the fact that the North Island herds now top the million mark. The following interesting details of the interim returns for the past two years are given, as exactly comparable figures are not provided in the final returns for last year 1924. 1923.

Nelson 28,573 27,868 Marlborough 19,583 17,768 Westland 14,442 13,2?73 Canterbury 98,044 96,063 Otago 65,027 61,689 Southland 82,759 78,837 South Island ... .. 303,428 295,593 Dominion 1,309,624 1,238,891 On this comparison, the number of dairy cows in the North Island has increased by 58,008, and that- in the South Island by 12,925. These figures are slightlv exaggerated, as the final return for 1923 showed a total higher by 9752 than the provisional return. From January, 1922, to January, 1923, according to final returns, the dairy cows increased by 111,588. Tile present interim return shows the smaller increase for the last year of 61,181, wnich figure will no doubt be raised by tire complete returns. Although it is satisfactory to learn that our sheep and lambs show an increase as wed as all other live stock, it is a matter of regret that the area sown in wheat and oats (unless the final figures bulk up unexpectedly) falls far short of the 1922-2 o figures. The drop in the oats area is tremendous—viz., sonic 56,000 acres, —a circumstance which permits of the importation of Canadian oats with gratifying results no doubt to those associated with the venture, and possibly illuminating to those who know what Otago-Southland can do in this cereal when growers are in the mood. There is little else which calls for comment. The area in potatoes shows practically no change, but the yield rnno fS (' than in 1922-23 by some jOOO tons; while the area in turnips is this year approximately less by 18,000 acres than last season.

North Auckland .. .. .. 196,932 183,999 Auckland .. .. .. ... 310,637 291,344 G isborne .. .. 30,086 26,468 Hawke’s Bay ... .. .. 53,392 49,080 Taranaki .. ... 201,990 201,346 Wellington .. .. 205,359 191,151 North Island .. .. 1,001,396 943,383