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1947 NEW ZEALAND

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ANNUAL REPORT FOR YEAR 1946-47

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency

Sir,— I have the honour to forward for Your Excellency's information the report of the Department of Agriculture for the financial year ended 31st March, 1947. The report provides a summary of the principal farming activities of the year and outlines the comprehensive and numerous functions of the Department in its work of developing the Dominion's primary industry. I have, &c., Edward Cullen, Minister of Agriculture. His Excellency the Governor-General.

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ACTING-DIRECTOR-GENERAL The world food shortage is expected to be critical throughout the greater part of 1947, and although cereal-supplies may become adequate in 1948, shortages of dairy-produce and meat are likely to continue for a further two or three years. The Dominion's interest in securing an expanding market for primary produce and in fulfilling her obligations to the United Kingdom should serve to stimulate the farming industry to produce as much food as possible. A market for all our exportable produce is assured for the next few years, and, with the prospect of international agreement on the development of world trade based on the foundation of the maintenance by all countries of policies of full employment, there should be an expanding market for food for many years to come. If the great industrial countries can. maintain full employment, there should be no difficulty in selling all the high-quality meat and dairy products New Zealand can produce. Production during the 1945-46 and 1946-47 seasons has been adversely affected by the weather. Dairy production in 1945-46 was severely curtailed over a large part of the North Island by summer drought conditions and consequent lack of winter feed, and further dry weather has similarly affected 1946-47 production. Meat-production