WORLD WHEAT.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18822, 10 March 1931, Page 5

WORLD WHEAT.

AN EXPERT’S REVIEW. RUSSIA’S POSITION Seme interesting comments on th« world’s wheat position were made by Mr John I. Macfarland on his appointrecently as general manager of Canadian Co-operative Wheat Producers Ltd. This position placed him in control of the selling policy of the Canadian wheat pool. Mr MacFarland's views regarding Russian exports are particularly interesting. Russia has been accused of dumping, he says, but the fact is that there would bo a surplus of wheat even if that country were not exporting. Discussing the factors which have resulted in the existing world wheat situation. Mr MacFarland declared that the only possible permanent solution lay in a proportionate reduction of wheat acreage by all producing countries. It did not lie. he said, in any schemes which looked toward international control of prices. Mr MacFarland pointed out that the world’s acreage in 3913. including Russia, was 276,030.00 acres, and the world crop was 3,907.760,000 bushels. Without Russia these figures were: Acreage. 195,500,000; bushels, 3,027.760,000. “From this, he said, “it will be observed that Russia in 1913 produced 880,000,000 bushels of wheat from about 80,500,000 acres. The war intervened in 1914, and Russia passed out of the picture completely as an exporter until the season 1923-24, when she commenced in a small way. and has since increased. However, it should be remembered that prior to the Great War, Russia was by far the largest exporter of wheat, as well as other grains, in the world. Her five-year average exports of wheat, for the year 1909-13, inclusive, were 160,000,90 bushels per year. “In the meantime, during all the 16 years since the war began, Russia’s total exports of wheat have only amounted to a total of about 160.000.000 bushels in all. About 60,000.000 of that total have been exported by her in the past few months. We cannot, therefore, accuse Russia of adding much to the burden of surplus wheat stocks with! which we are struggling to-day. “We have accused Russia of dumping, and she has certainly been pressing her wheat on European markets, but so far as dumping is concerned she has not sold her wheat at such a big discount under world prices as the Argentine did last year. The fact remains, however, that under the leadership of Russian selling wheat prices have declined to record low levels. Here is what has happened during all the years since 1914: There has virtually been no Russia in the world so far as wheat and other grains are concerned. In fact, in at last one or two years, Russia actually imported wheat. The importing countries of the world have meanwhile secured from the balance of the world gjl the wheat they require without any assistance from Russia apart from the 160.000,000 bushels I have mentioned before, and these were spread over sixteen years.

‘The world ceased to consider Russia, as far as wheat was concerned, and acreage elsewhere has largely increased. It lias increased to such an extent that there would bp a surplus of wheat even if Russia were still out of the picture. Note ihe following official acreage fierures: — “1913. World acreage without Russia 195.500.000 acres. “ 1929. —W0r1d acreage without Russia 234,500,000 acres; increase 39,000,000 acres. “Canada increased her wheat acreage from 11000.000 in 1913 to 25.000.000 in 1929. Australia, it was recently announced, has increased her acreage from 9.000.000 in 1913 to over 18.000,000 in 1930 The United States have increased from 50 millions to 60 millions and so the story goes. There is more wheat acreage in the world than is needed, even leaving Russia out of account. That is the fact we must face to-day. Our governments and fanning organisations should take every step to urge acreage reductions upon other countries, while insisting on similar measures at home. While this may be considered impossible, it must be done.”