RECORD WHEAT SOWINGS

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1680, 29 October 1925, Page 3

RECORD WHEAT SOWINGS

ARGENTINE’S PROGRESS.

On July 15 last the Argentine Department of Rural Economy and Statistics published an interesting report on crop conditions and prospects, according to which the probable sowings of cereals and linseed for the next crop are estimated as follows: Wheat 7,5000,000 hectares, linseed 2,200,000 hectares. Oats, 1,150,000 hectares, barley 320,000 hectares, rye 170,000 hectares. These figures, a Buenos Aires contemporary points out, imply an increase of 4.4 per cent in the case of wheat, 7.4 per cent in the case of oats, 1 per cent in the case of barley and 9 per cent of rye as compared with last year’s sowings. It must be remembered that although last year’s out-turn was small, owing to the disappointing average yields in most parts of the country, the area sown was well above the average. Counting on the possibility of later wheat sowings, this year’s total area under cereals will presumably be by a very safe margin, the biggest on record. Generally speaking, the condition of the wheat sowing is excellent. The official report places on record the fact that the methods of preparing the soil and sowing the seed have beein betv. than in any previous agricultural year. Granted reasonably satisfactory growing conditions, the agricultural industry of Argentina ought, therefore, to derive the benefit not only of the .circumstance stated but also the greatly improved method of seed selection which, though attempted last year, failed to manifest its advantages in the out-turn owing to the drought which destroyed a considerable part of the crop. With a good average growing conditions the wheat crop ought to prove the largest in the history of Argentine agriculture. The area sown to linseed is 9 per cent smaller than last year. In spite of last year’s disappointing out-turn of linseed the shipments during the,first seven months of the year fell far short of exhausting the supply, and the fact, that there has been such a poor market for linseed no doubt accounts for the considerable drop in the area sown.