New Zealand’s Annual Report to FAO

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 79, Issue 3, 15 September 1949, Page 195

New Zealand’s Annual Report to FAO

T JNDER the constitution of the '“/United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization member Governments undertake to report periodically to one another through FAO on progress made toward the achievement of FAO’s basic objectives. New Zealand’s 1949 report has recently been completed and dispatched to FAO headquarters in Washington. In accordance with the outline

suggested by FAO this year’s report consists of three sections. Part I is a statement of some of the general economic factors that influence the trends in food consumption and in farm, forest, and fishery production in New Zealand. Part II sets out the levels of production, exports or imports, and consumption that seem likely to be achieved or required in the 1950-51 season, and Part 111 describes the efforts that have been and are being made toward realising the objectives of FAO.

It will be evident from this outline that the report is fairly comprehensive. The preparation and checking of the material have been made possible by the helpful co-operation of various Government Departments, including Health, Scientific and Industrial Research, Marine, Forest Service, and the Government Statistician. Although designed originally for the information of other member Governments of FAO, the New Zealand report may prove by virtue of its comprehensive nature to be of interest to some readers within the Dominion.

Basic Factors in Standard of Life

Several interesting features of the New Zealand economy are brought out in the first part of the report. For instance, it is shown that about 20 per cent, of our total working population is engaged in agriculture. This figure does not fully reveal the significance of farming in the economy of New Zealand. The fact is that our farming is geared to produce for export, and farm products are about 95 per cent, of our total exports. Workers in the meat- and dairyprocessing industries, of course, along with workers in transport and distribution and those on farms, contribute to the final value of these exports. As it is only by exporting that we can import the things ,we need without incurring debt overseas, it is clear that the production and processing of farm products are basic factors in our whole standard of life.

The pattern of food consumption in New Zealand is appropriate to a high standard of living. Over the last 10 years consumption of liquid milk per head rose slightly from a level already high, ice cream consumption trebled, and flour consumption increased slightly.

The rationing of butter and meat during the war years and afterward distorted the influence of higher incomes on the amount of different foods that people buy. Under rationing the consumption per head of butter and of beef, veal, and pork was reduced. After the abolition, of meat rationing in September, 1948, it would appear from preliminary indications that the consumption per head of beef, lamb, and pig meat has shown some slight increase, although the position will not be clear until the records for a full year have been analysed.

Forecasts of Production and Consumption

Many uncertainties, of course, attach to the forecasts of New Zealand’s production, trade, and consumption of agricultural products in the 1950-51 season as given in the second part of the report. Our pastoral production depends on the

climatic conditions that affect the growth of grass, and it is impossible to forecast these a year ahead. Nevertheless, FAO is particularly anxious to have production and consumption targets or forecasts from member Governments for 1950-51 so that the world prospects in food and agriculture can be set before the annual conference of FAO when it assembles at Havana in November next. .

The net effect of the production and consumption trends on foreign trade prospects will vary for different products. The 1950-51 import requirement of wheat will probably be larger than at present. Exports of lamb and mutton and beef and veal should be fairly well maintained, but exports of pig meat may fall further; exports of dairy produce should increase. These forecasts are based on long-time production averages and the expectation of a normal season, as no allowance can be made for the possible effect of favourable or unfavourable weather during the 1950-51 season.

Levels of Nutrition

In response to FAO’s request the third part of the report describes the measures being taken to achieve increased production of primary products and to secure even higher levels of nutrition in New Zealand. The present nutritional status of our population is relatively very good, and the Department of Health is constantly on the watch for any deficiency that may affect special groups.

Under the heading of agricultural production FAO is especially interested in the extent to which the results of scientific research are being applied by farmers. On this point it is very gratifying to be able to report that New Zealand is well ahead. There are no doubt some improved methods developed by science which have not yet been widely enough adopted by farmers, but in general the relatively high level of efficiency which is justly attributed to New Zealand agriculture has resulted from the ready and widespread ' adoption by farmers , of advances worked out by scientists and made available to the farming community by extension workers. The use of Certified seeds is a familiar illustration.

Control of Mastitis and Contagious Abortion

Two more recent examples of great significance to the dairy industry are penicillin treatment for the control of mastitis and the vaccination of heifer calves to control contagious abortion. A major development during the past year has been the widespread use of the penicillin method by dairy farmers, with remarkably good results. Farmers have also taken up calf vaccination very readily, and I was able to report to FAO that more than half of our dairy heifers are being treated against contagious abortion. Some increase in the dairy herd is expected as a direct result of the adoption by farmers of these new disease-control methods. '

Contribution of Knowledge and Experience

It is becoming increasingly clear that the main significance of FAO to New Zealand is that it provides a channel through which we can make available to the people of other and less fortunate nations the specialised knowledge of pastoral production and grassland farming which our farmers and scientists have built up. The contribution of this knowledge and experience is an important way in which we can assist the people of the economically-backward countries to raise their levels of living and of nutrition. It is thus a vital contribution to constructive peace.

EDWARD CULLEN,

Minister of Agriculture.