FOR FOOD PRODUCTION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 125, 27 May 1944, Page 5

FOR FOOD PRODUCTION

N.Z. TARGETS FOR NEW SEASON 150,000 TONS OF POTATOES (P.A.) Wellington, May 25. District cropping objectives nave been fixed for 1944-45 by the Department of Agriculture ana the National Council for Primary Production to assist farmers tc plan maximum production for tne coming season. Dominion production objectives, incluaing laigets for dairy produce and meat, were announced hut month by the Ministei of Agriculture, the Hon. B. Roberts, and figures showing district objectives for crops have now been circulated to the district councils of Primary Production. The Minister said to-night that it was not intended that tanners should jump from one crop to another, but rather that they should endeavour to intensify and increase the production of the commodities they were accustomed 40 growing. He nad personally met all South Island district primary production councils and also a group in Palmerston North representing some of the North Island councils, it was his intention to meet the remaining North Island councils as soon as possible, specially in the Gisoorne and Whakatane districts, where there nad been Hoods. The New Zealand onion crop in 1943- came from 1000 acres, which produced well below requirements, but the target for the 1944-45 season has been fixed at 2000 acres. Onions are grown in three main farming districts, Pukekohe, Marshlands and Shannon. It is not proposed to make any specific district allocation for tnis crop but to make a general appeal lor increased production by farmers and market gardeners wno may be in a position to increase onion production. The acreage sown in onions in the Manawatu last season was approximately 280 acres, that in the Pukekohe district 400 acres and North Canterbury 350 acres. The cropoing programme provides for an increase of 8000 acres of malting barley, from 30,000 acres last sea-, son to 38,000 in the coming season, based on 35 bushels an acre. The proposed distribution in acres for the 1944- season is as follows, the past season’s acreage threshed being shown in parentheses:—Marlborough, 4350 acres (3858); Nelson, 1500 acres (1410); Canterbury, 25,100 acres (2'2,257); Otago, 6500 acres (5924); Southland, 550 acres (300). It. is hoped to maintain the present acreage of 35,000 acres of peas, which are an important commodity in the food requirements of the United Nations. Of last season’s production of peas nearly two-thirds came from Canterbury, where 21,500 acres were grown. The district with the next, largest yield was Marlborough with 9000 acres. Otago grew 2100 acres, Nelson 750 acres, Wellington 700 acres and Ha wire’s Bay 600 acres.

To produce the 150,000 tons of table potatoes required it will be necessary to sow 37,500 acres of this crop, this representing an increase of 10,500 acres on the past season. The district targets for potatoes in acres are as follows: North Canterbury 13,700; South Canterbury 6600; Ashburton 2200; Rangitikei 1850; Otago 1900; Southland 1900; North Auckland 1750; Manawatu 1700; Hawke's Bay 1100; Nort’j Otago 1000; South Auckland 925; Nelson 850; Ohakune 500; Wairarapa 500; Marlborough 500; Gisborne 325; Taranaki 200.

The 1944-45 production aim for wheat has been fixed at 300,000 acres, last season’s acreage being appn xiniatelv 249,000 acres. The Wairarapa target hits been fixed at 4000 Acres, as compared with last season's 3729 acres. Targets for other districts in the North Island and Ne’son and Marlborough are as follow, last season's production being given in parentheses:—Hawke’s Bav 3500 acres (3120); Wanganui 3500 acres (3450); Manawatu 3500 acres (3324); Nelson 1500 acres <1355); Marlborough 12,000 acres (11,393). The estimated acreage required Io produce next season's linen flax crop is 20,681 acres. All linen flax factories are in the South Island and the allocation the Blenheim factory district is I.\B acres.