WORLD'S WHEAT

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 62, 7 December 1920, Page 10

WORLD'S WHEAT

The latest bulletin of agricultural and commercial statistic?, published by tho International Institute of Agriculture of Rome, annonnces that the. United States wheat crop of 1020 is estimated at 21 million metric tons (11.5 million winter and G. 5 million snri,ug wheat). The latest estimate of the Canadian crop is 7.9 million tons, while the stocks of old crop wheat in the United States on July 1 were 1.1 million tons. The aggregate North American supply of wheat for tho current reason is, thcreforo, 33 million tons, as compared with 32.1 million in 1919, and an average of 31.8 million during the previous five years. These data all include estimates of old stocks at (he beginning of July, and indicate that the North American supply of wheat for 1920-21 is apparently much ns usual. Farm preparations for the winter wheat crop of 1921 are progressing favourably. Including tho North American data, estimates of the northern hemisphere wheat crops of 192(1 from the following countries—Soain, Italy, Algeria, Tunis, Bulgaria, Finland. Switzerland, British India, a.nd Guatemala, amount to 48.4 million metric tons, as compared with tho same aggregate of 481 million in 1919 and an average of 49.2 million during tho previous iive years. Exclusive, of Russia, these quantities are about-70 per cent, o'f the wheat production in tlio' northern hemisphere. ■The wheat crop is reported as nboro the average in Austria, Czecho-Slovakia, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, and Sweden; averago in Germany and Ireland, and slightly under average in England and Scotland. Eye is good in Austria. the Netherlands, and Sweden, but below the average in Germany, Czechoslovakia, and Poland. It-eport? on tile course of the Indian monsoon have been fairly favourable, generally spenlung. for rice and other ■summer crops, but more rain is needed in tho areas to be sown with wheat. Karachi wheat prices have advanced about !i per cent. Tho preliminary estimate Of- area tinder wheat in Argentina is G. 5 million hectares (a hectare is not quite 21 acres), 7 ! per cent, larger than last year's, but 3 per cent, below tho average. Tho ajjregato in Argentina, South Africa, and Australia, comprising 92 per cent, of tho wheat-producing avea in tho southern hemisphere, is estimated at 11.5 million hectares, 2S per cent, nioro than in 1919, and 2 per cent, above (lie average. None but favourable accounts- of (ho growing wheat crop wero received by tho institute from Australia, while the official report from Argentina forecasted an average yield.