Evening star., 1923-04-22
FARM PRODUCTION
TO CONTINUE HIGH
Foreign Demand to Drop, But
Consumption Here Up,
Committee Finds.

At least no reduction in the supply
Of American farm products this year.
d slightly less favorable foreign de-
mand and an active demand at home
as long as the present business condi-
tions continue were forecast yester-
day by a committee of eighteen prom
inent economists and statisticians in
report TO Secretary Wallace of the
Department OF Agriculture after a
two day conference here.
1t IS of the most vital interest to
American agriculture" the report
said" that the United States lend aid
in every way possible to the settle
ment of the reparation and other
European problems.
Factors Favorable.
The favorable factors witt, respect
!; to foreign demand are: First, the
influence Of American prosperity upon
the demand for European goods. and.
second. the possibility that the slight
business recovery in a number of Eu-
ropean countries may gradually gain
momentum.
The unfavorabie factors are: First,
the progressive piiing up of govern
ment debts on the continent of Eu-
rope, with it's offset upon exchange.
CURRENCY and business. and, second.
the Ruhr situation.
With some overflow of the business
activity of the United States to the
rest of the world. particularly the
non European part of the world. the
prospect would rather be that there
will be some increase in the produc-
ton of foods in foreign countries. We
any reason for the expectation that
our farmers will meet any less severe
competition in European markets dur
/ ing the coming year than during the
last year"
Prosperity to Last.
Predicting the domestic demand for
agricultural products would be active
as long as the present condition of
! business with fun employment con-
tinued, the committee said most com
petent observers seem to agree that
the country may expect general bust
| ness prosperity to last at least six to
nine months longer
! The enormous net movement of
LIE 900 persons from farms to towns
and cities in the two years ending
with December 81, 1922, leaves the
farms in an unfayorable position to
meet emergencies, the committee de-
clared.
With European countries making ef-
forts to place their grain production
on a pre-war basis. the heavy wheat
exports OF the last two years may
be expected to decline. and the COM
mittee advises that American pro-
duction should be readjusted to meet
these changing conditions. The con-
dition Of winter wheat is unfavorable,
intended paintings OF spring wheat
are SIS per cent below last years
acreage, and weather thus far has
been unfavorable for spring planting
Cotton Consumption High.
| There is no evidence that the con-
sumption of American cotton in 1928
"a will fall below the indicated world
consumption for 1929, which is not
less than 100000 bales, the COM
mittee reported. Available informa- :
tion indicates the world carry over of
ali cottons on July 81, 1923, will be
6,800.000 bales, largely of foreign
short staple cotton. and that Ameri-
can cotton will be little, if any, re-
stricted on account of foreign pro-
duction.
The corn situation is about normal,
the committee found, but between now
and the time the new crop is harvested
there will be some tendency toward
corn shortage, because of the larger
number of pigs on feed. Hog pro-
duction has been heavy. and is still in
a state of expansion. Unless bad
weather and other conditions have re-
duced the number of spring pigs to an
unusual degree, the price of hogs may
be depressed next fall and winter.