VALUE OF CROPS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20095, 26 November 1930, Page 16

VALUE OF CROPS.

INTERESTING STATISTICAL COMPARISON. The Dominion agricultural and pas . torn 1 statistics each year devote a coin" parative table to the estimated value of crops, the estimate being based on average values during the season. The following shows the figures over the 1927-28, 3928-29, and 1929-30 gcaßons (inclusive) :

Ignite the notable feature of the table is the wealth of the wheat crop, more particularly in regard to the inlluence of a good or bad season. In 1927-28, when the average yield was the second best on record, the value was estimated at £3,035,372; last season, with a reduction of 25,000 acres in area and a six-bushel decrease in the yield the crop declined to £2,28(>,49;5, approximately by threequarters of a million of monev. The record value was in 1921-2*2, wlien over a ItH million bushel crop was harvested o(T 352,918 acres. The value that year was £3.319.0W2. The oats (feed) crop was valued at £1,097,308 in 1921-22, and at £1,165,215 in 1924 2-~. In the •'drought," year (1923-2-1 j the value was only £400,571, but the production has now apparently stabilised about £OOO,OOO. The figures as between oats for feed and seed and oats for chaff can only be approximate, but the table points out the increase in chaffed oats last vear compared with that in the two preceding years, ranging from £4l7,(>f>o to £27O,(XX). The increase emphasises a fact, frequently pointed out in regard to the statistics for this crop —i.e., no matter the area or the weight of the crop the first call on it is for chaff, arid ill a bad seas on this necessity further decreases the proportion \ ailable for oats. Jn 1924-25 the value of the oats crop for chaff, hay, etc., was set down at £3,043,038, which might appear out of all proportion to the wheat value of that year — £1,793.220 —but oatg are grown in al! the provinces to some extent, and in the particular year referred to the total oats area was 472,315 acres, compared with 11)0,904 acres for wheat. Last year the oats area was 282,794 acres and wheat 230,000. The value of the potato crop remains fairly stable. The low prices this year as a result of the over-supply made the i figure about £74,000 less than in 1929, and slightly less than in 192.5. The record value was in 192.>-20, when the figure was assessed at £1,078.358, this being the year of heavy export to Australia.

1927-28. JL: 1 92*29. i: 1 1929-30. Grain, clc, Wheat . • Oats 3,035,372 087,597 2,705,005 530,395 -.286,493 0 3 J, 7 31 175,382 132,078 93,030 2,43 9 01,390 41,159 Hurley . - Maise . . Peas 2 81,043 154,939 *344,789 175,748 1 15 Beans 1 ,574 Linseed • • 158,GOO 2 0.2 9 u Hops . . 4 7,4 7'» 55, jo 1 Chaff, ha v , ensilage— 5,943 1,8 13,4 29 Wheal . • Oats - - 5,051 1,854,01! 5 t,04<> -,'-30,077 Barley • • 4.828 3,088 3,291 10,128 Maize Crass, 7, 10'» 4.'J 40 clover. A: Ji.'ccroe hay :!,o.l ij/jjr, 4 .2 2 u, U o 8 3,04 8,297 Grass ant clover kc( (i — Kvegrass, perenn iai Western 52,050 64.936 8 J .056 "Wolths & 'Italian .. r».*4 9 19,2s 5 3 1.07 I Cock M oo 1. 08.48S 72.563 79,561 Ch«wii)-M fescue . - y.s.,:jiy 1 07,458 109,677 Crested dogsta i 1 6 1 ,034 39,680 2 9,460 Ked Hover and cow - trass . . 8 1, 4 H 9 5 7,3 3 1 20,408 White clover . . 1 4,658 2 3,832 20,4 41 Other Kra.s.-:es & clovers 4.29 7 21!.494 1 0,382 lioot cn>i Potatoes 079,345 74 1,042 658,007 Onions . . 02,190 107,438 91,933 * Includes beams.