WHEAT-GROWING.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 June 1920, Page 5

WHEAT-GROWING.

GLOOMY PROSPECTS. Said Mr. Beauchamp at the Bank of New Zealand meeting yesterday:— At this particular juncture, the growth Of cereals—more especially wheat —is the department of agriculture which demands the most general attention. There is an undoubted shortage in the world's supply at the present time, and the prospects for the future are decidedly gloomy. This Dominion should certainly grow all the wheat required for its own consumption; but for several years it has not been doing so. The area under crop has for some time been steadil v declining, Ten years ago, there were 311,000 aere3 devoted to wheat, and the yield was 8,661,100 hushels. Last season it is estimated that the area under wheat crop was only 141,000 acres, and the estimated crop 4,100,000 bushels. In view of the certain deficiency in th.; world's supply and the consequent probability of high prices ruling for wheat, it is to be hoped that our farmers will ht encouraged to sow wheat liberally, so that at least our domestic needs may be supplied if not a surplus made available for export to some of the countries that are faced with starvation. To encourage this industry, we may reasonably look to the Government to guarantee a remunerative price to producers.