World Agricultural Bodies Tell Their Conference Of Increasing Food Production

Wanganui Chronicle, 17 June 1950, Page 5

World Agricultural Bodies Tell Their Conference Of Increasing Food Production

LONDON, June 16 (Ree. 6 pm).—A first-hand picture of the world’s food supplies and problems that loom ahead for farmers is being taken home by delegates who attended the conference of International Federation of Agricultural Producers at Stockholm. says “The Times,” in aleader article. Each country had its say and most could tell of increasing production,” “The Times” continues. The Danes spoke of pig stocks which have doubled in the last two years, and now equal the 1939 total. Across the border in Western Germany pigs are estimated at eighty per cent, and cattle at 90 per cent, of the numbers before the war and today nearly two-thirds of Western Germany’s food requirements are met by her own production.

The Netherlands delegation affirmed that the task of the farmers is to expand production —not at all costs, but by greater efficiency and increased productivity. Dutch dairy organisations have launched an advertising campaign to increase consumption of dairy produce at home. In their view bi-lateral agreements are a serious obstacle to the natural development of agriculture. The United States delegation painted on a wider canvas. American farming organisations supported the International Wheat Agreement when it hung in the balance last year, and they gave an assurance that they will continue to support commodity agreements to bring stability to world markets. But their spokesmen at Stockholm uttered this salutary warning: “Unless member countries take the necessary steps for developing an expanding economy and increasing the earning and purchasing power of the masses of the people in their respective countries, international commodity agreements for a few corflomdities may cause difficulties in other commodities not covered by such agreements." This approach to the problem of world food supplies and impending surpluses—and the knowledge that American farm organisations realising that the high level of exports must be matched by imports, had

united to encourage increased imports into the United States—led this international farmers' conference to declare for “freer trade.” This conclusion may seem surprising, as farmers are protectionists by tradition. "Certainly,” "The Times” continues, “such a broad concept of agriculture’s long-term interest has yet to be assimilated by the ordinary farmer in this country, in France and elsewhere. The I.F.A.P. provides a common approach to the problem of agricultural protection, and if this farmers organisation can present workable proposals for the orderly marketing of dairy products and eggs, which are to be given precedence after wheat, farmers may yet come to rely on international action to give stability in markets and prices. “Such stability is an essential complement to the national agricultural policies of kind developed in the British Agricultural Act. After the frustrations that have attended meetings of the Food and Agriculture Organisation, however, Governments remain unconvinced about the practicability of further commodity agreements on the lines of the International Wheat Agreement. It has still to be shown that there are practicable ways of carrying into effect the ideal expressed at Hot Springs as to the advantage of both farmers and consumers. Certainly an effort has to be made and the Food and Agriculture Organisation should make available all information that has been gathered.—Special N.Z.P.A. Correspondent