Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-18
RUSSIAN CROP SHORT
Official Figures Show the Great
Empires Distress.
FAMINE Is CUMULATIVE
People Suffer Most Through Defici-
ency Of Rye.
NOTHING LEFT FOR EXPORT
America Will Have 100000
Bushels of Hard Wheat to Supply
the Mediterranean Demand.
LEFT FOR EXPORT


Russia have been gathered by the Depart
ment of Agriculture These show that the
| situation is worse than it has been for two
years past, during both OF which there had
| been shortage. The effect is decidedly bull
| ish OH the American market for the crop
| of Russia wheat is particularly short in the
regions where they raise the hard maca-
| roni or durum wheat for export to the Med
] fterranean. This crop has been extending
rapidly in the United States during the past
few years, and it is estimated that this year
there will be crop of 50,O00000 of which
all but 100000 will be available for eX-
port. And it is an export crop that Europe
will have to take.
The departments report says:
While the final results of the crop of 1906
in Russia will not be determined for some
time to come enough is known to make 1t
clear that the Russian peasant is facing one
of the worst famlneS Russia sllaS known
during the last twenty years. According to
the preliminary report Of the central statis-
teal committee the entire crop OF winter
wheat equals 23S,tEED,00D bushels. of spring
wheat 800 0O3,OGO bushels and the rye crop
is 6G3 00,O00 bushels This makes the wheat
crop 1O0,0N),0OO bushels short Of the pre-
vious years crop and over 13O,oGc,W'o bush
els short of the crop of 1904: the wheat crop
of 1896 is the smallest Russia has had since
1901.
From the standpoint of national consump-
ton the shortage in rye is much more
alarming While the crop of 1900 was 2S0,-
Gts3. coo bushels shorter than that of the pre-
ceding year this years crop has fallen n
CGGGo bushels lower than that of 1898. 1t
is 1G0G00,00o bushels smaller than the short
crop OF 1901, and even smaller than the
famine crop of 1897.
Need Government Aid.
1t has been estimated by the tax officers
ti,nt y,a tnl of 1c To
about 1913, 600 900 centals of grain, which
is 16s, 100000 centals less than the harvest
of the previous year. In addition TO that
the stocks on farmers hands at the end of
the crop year, namely, July Is, 1906 were
only $40 900 900 centals, or A 009 0G3 centals
less than the preceding year, SO that the
total shortage of supply is 212, 900, 600 CEN
tails.
The necessity for government aid has
been recognized in over twenty provinces,
and appropriation of 15,O0O,O00 rubles
for that purpose will, according to the
statements of many Zemstvos, prove in
sufficient.
Besides the financial aid, requests have
come in for 33 200, 900 centals of grain, pri
mdrly rye, for purposes of consumption,
and Il. 100000 centals for use as seeds for
the coming year. Exercising the strictest
economy, the central government was I'M
able to reduce this estimate below 80 100000
amounted to 0,1O0,3G0 centals for food pur-
poses and 400 900 centals for seeds.
The interest of the American farmer in
this situation is not only an altruistic one,
for its effects upon the international grain
market will be important. Already the I'M
usual situation Is met with, that Kron-
stadt, from which port many millions of
bushels of rye have been shipped to the
European market in the previous years.
has recorded during this autumn consider
able imports of rye from Germany and
Denmark. But it is upon the wheat mar
ket that the influences viii be most felt,
as more than thirty per cent of the net
wheat crop of Russia gees to supply the in
terna tional market Since 1900 the exports
of wheat from Russia have been rapidly
growing.
Exports Shrinking.
During the crop year ending August 81,
1900, they were 81 100000 bushels and In
the following years increased TO 90, 400, 900
bushels, 142,000G90 bushels 1J4, coo COO
bushels, and in the year 1919, 1913, coo, 900
bushels. The slight shortage of 1905, fol-
lowed by expectations of a small crop in
1906, reduced the exports during 1866 to
$50, 100000 bushels. During the months Of
September and October, usually the heav-
lest export months in Russia, only 2s,COO OCO
bushels were exported, as compared with
100000 bushels during the same months
of 1885, 46, 200, 900 bushels in September and
October. 1904; 80, 703, 900 bushels in 1908, and
"a, 100000 bushels in 1902. This falling off
of the exports indicates total export dur
ing the current commercial year of GER
tainly less than 120,000,00O bushels and
possibly less than 100000 bushels, as
against 1919, 100000 bushels in 19O4-5.
/ One additional point deserves to be en-
phasized. The shortage in wheat refers
mainly to spring wheat. The total produc-
ton of winter wheat, which is grown in
western Russia only, is even larger than
| for the preceding two crops but the spring
wheat crop has fallen off 1914, 900, 600 bushels
since 1904, or So per cent.
Durum Wheat Crop.
During recent years the production of
durum wheat in the United States has rap
| idly increased, having reached now an esti-
mated total of 100000 bushels, of which
| the domestic market may not absorb more
| than 100000 bushels, and the remainder
| is available for European markets, pri-
marily those of the Mediterranean ports,
| where the demand for durum wheat is
strongest. It was in these that Russia
| knew almost no competitors. The present
| shortage strikes with greatest severity Just
| those regions where durum wheat which Is
| a spring wheat In Russia, is raised. What
| ever spring wheat has been gathered is rec
OgniZed to be of a very inferior quality,
| both as to weight and appearance. Thus
| the time seems propitious for considerable
extension of exports of durum wheat from
| this country to European markets, mainly
| to southern France and Italy.