Evening star., 1933-03-26
WHEAT REDUCTION
DIPLOMATIC ISSUE.
Agreement With Major Pro.
ducinu Countries Aim of
Administration.
Nv the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Wheat, which the world once was
incapable of producing in quantities
sufficient to meet the cry for bread,
now Is ready to make grand entry
on the diplomatic scene because there
Is too much of it.
President Roosevelt has set curtail-
ment of wheat production by agree
ment Of the major producing countries
as one objective of his administration.
The subject may come up at the
mer and is certain to stir future dip
lomatic activity.
Mr.. Roosevelt's proposal comes at
a time when the world is increasing
steadily its rate of wheat consumption
but at a pace far behind the rise in
production. The energies of the
worlds wheat farmers have caused q
large carry-over from year to year,
while the price has been driven down to
levels Of those before Queen Elizabeths
reign.
Estimated World Supply.
The estimated world supply in
1892, the last year for which COM
plete statistics are available, aggre-
gated 4.516,000000; the worlds con-
sumption for that year was reckoned
at 3,847 900 900. There was 656,O00,-
600 bushels on hand from the previous
year, but instead of falling off this
vast unused supply increased and
there was another carry-over Of $685.
10000 for the wheat growers to worry
about. But they came back the follow
ing year with even larger production.
Many factors have complicated the
world wheat situation. During the
mediately thereafter the biggest po-
tential wheat field in the world, Russia,
had abnormally low production. Some
nations, faced with famines due to the
breakdown Of trade during the war.
decided to concentrate on the project
of increasing their acreages so that in
event of another war they would have
less of food problem.
Moreover, in countries best suited
to production-such as Canada, Argen-
tina, the United States and Australia
under the stimulation of high war
time prices, vast areas previously un-
cultivated were put into wheat.
Production increased least rapidly in
the United States, where definite cur
tailment movement set in after 1880.
Acres in 1922.
In 1922 this country had "a, 600, 900
acres planted to wheat. In 1892 the
area fell to 55,300,000 acres and for
the current crop year abandonment of
Winter wheat areas and fall in inten-
tions to plant indicates an aggregate
acreage of only SIS 100000 acres.
In contrast, Russian paintings mounted
from 36,400,000 acres In 1922, to
92,100,000 acres last year. Its estimated
wheat area for this crop year is
88,700,000. Canadas acreage increased
from 23,300 900 in 1922, to 27,200 900
estimated for this year; Argentina
boosted its wheat area from 14,20O, 900
acres in 1922, to a prospective 49,
100000 this year.
Australia had 9,700,00O acres in wheat
in 1922, and this year will grow
15,600,0o0; and Europe, outside of Russia,
had 64,200,00O acres in wheat in 1922.
and expects to have 100000 acres this
year. All other wheat-growing nations
excluding China, have increased their
acreage, from 4S, 600 900 acres to a
planned 61,900,000 this season.
Russia, which produced more than a
billion bushels in 1894 and duplicated
this as recently as 1930-3I, is reported
to be planting a smaller acreage this
year But it is concentrating on in
creasing the per acre yield. If successful,
1t may follow with an expansion of
acreage
More and more wheat has been with
drawn from International commerce as
many Of the smaller nations have found
varieties which they could produce
Bounties on home production, tariff and
quota restrictions on imports, and other
factors have entered the picture as
many countries have developed an
eagerness for self-sufficiency, especially
In bread supply.
Empire Preferences.
The British Empire preferences have
changed greatly the position of the
United Kingdom, long an outstanding
customer of United States wheat. Since
they went into effect from last Novem-
Der l, to January 80, the United King
dom obtained only 1.6 per cent of its
supply from this country, compared with
87s per cent in the same period the
year before.
From Canada it obtained more than
81 per cent of its supply in the latter
period, compared with about 27 per cent
during the same time in 1882.
Australia supplied 16 per cent from
November to January, inclusive, against
6.6 per cent during the period in the
previous year.