WHEAT PRODUCTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 July 1920, Page 10

WHEAT PRODUCTION.

AN APPEAL TO FARMERS. A strong appeal to farmers to grow as much wheat as possible was made by the Hon. W. Nosworthy. Minister of Agriculture, in discussing the wheat position with a Christchurch Press representative recently. "The present position which New Zealand finds itself in to-day in regard to the production of wheat," said the Minister, "is due to many causes which do not need elaborating at this juncture, with the result that the area sown in this important and -necessary cereal has shown a marked decline during the last two years—in the last year particularly. The following figures, showing the area sown in wheat, the yield per acre, and the estimated total yield for the Dominion in the past eleven years, are significant:—

"It will be seen from this table that the acreage sown in wheat in 191819 was 208,030, which produced 6,567,029 bushels," proceeded Mr. Nosworthy. "For this year the official estimate of land sown in wheat is 142,960 acres, which is the lowest since 1876, and with | an estimated yield of 29 bushels per acre j this will produce only 4,145,840 bushels. It should, of course, be understood that these figures are approximate. This yield will not be sufficient for the requirements of the Dominion, but with about 2,000,000 bushels of Australian wheat on hand it is hoped, with the small carry over from last harvest, that our supply for the next twelve months will be sufficient to meet internal demands. "I have recently learned," continued the Minister, "that some doubt exists in the minds of many farmers as to the price to be paid for the ensuing year's crop—i.e., 1920-21. In order to make the positon perfectly clear, I may say that at the conference I had recently with growers it was unamimously decided to accept the offer I made on behalf of the Government—namely, 7s 3d for Tuscan, 7s 'od for Hunters, and 7s 9d for pearl—these to be the minimum f.o.b. prices. "The point which some farmers appear to be in doubt over is the word 'minimum'; some are confusing it with, and holding that it means 'maximum.' Such is not necessarily the case. These prices are the guaranteed minimum f.o.b. prices, which will be adjusted according to the market rates ruling at the time. In addition there is an increment of id per month per bushel for six months on and after the Ist May to cover storage, which is an increase of %d over the r{ite to be paid this season. All other terms and conditions are the same as those for the present crop. "The question of the cost of production", continued the Minister, "has been very carefully and exhaustively inquired into by the various officers of my Departments, and it was on the basis of these investigations that the offers ac-. cepted for this and next year' 3 crop were made. On behalf of the Government I wish to mate a very strong appeal to farmers-to grow as much wheat as they possibly can this year, in order that sufficient will be produced for the Dominion's requirements, and thus avoid the necessity of going to Australia or elsewhere for supplies. I trust that farmers, when they realise the position, will respond to the appeal of the Government. and thus ensure that New Zealand will be self-supporting in this very essential commodity. To my mind, it is a very serious state of things when a young country such as this, with a little over a million of people, is unable to satisfy its own wants as far as wheat is concerned." ,

yield per Acre Total Tear. Acres, in Bushels. Bushels. 1909-10 .. 311,000 28.00 8,661,100 1910-11 .. 322,167 25.73 8,290,221 1911-12 .. 215,528 33.69 7,261,138 1912-13 .. 189,869 27.28 5,179,326 1813-14 .. 186,774 31.37 5,231,700 1914-15 .. 229,000 28.94 0,644,336 1915-19 .. 329,207 21.59 7,108,360 1916-17 .. 217,743 23,19 5,051,227 1917-18 .. 280,978 208,030 24.23 8,807,536 1918-19 .. 31.57 0,567,629 1919-20 .. 142,960 29.00 4,145,840