Evening star., 1943-04-19
Increase in Acreage
OF Vital War Foods
Sought by Officials
Estimates Of Supplies
For Civilians This Year
Revised Downward

Ihe agriculture Department is
making strenuous last-minute
efforts to induce farmers to plant
increased acreages of vital war
foods, it was learned today as
the department. lowered its es-
Inmates of supplies of a large
number of food items expected
to be available for civilians this
year.
Department officials believe it is
still possible for farmers in many
sections to increase their paintings
despite the scarcity of experienced
farm labor and farm machinery.
The appeal is being made to farm
ers through county agents, field rep
resentatives and other means.
Basing its survey on latest reports
OF crop prospects and military and
lease-lend requirements, the de-
partment lowered it's estimates of
meats, fish. poultry, milk and milk
products, fats and fruits for civilians
in 1943.
LStiHdtcS OI Items.
The per capita civilian supply of
all meats was estimated at 124
pounds, compared with 1873 pounds
forecast two months ago. The fish
supply was estimated at 8.6 pounds
compared with 81 pounds in Febru-
ary, while the poultry supply was
put at 28.4 pounds, one pound less
than earlier prospects.
The estimate on the per CAPITA
supply of all food fats and oils-in-
Guiding margarine, lard and cooking
compounds-was cut from 36.3 tc
1877 pounds, while the estimated
supply of milk-including all dairy
products-was reduced from 773 to
ITO pounds.
The previous estimates were based
on the departments production goals
and the assumption that weather ir
the growing season would be average
The revised estimates were based or
reports of farmers planting inten-
tons and the assumption thai
weather would be normal.
The goals contemplated an in.
crease of Z per cent in total fooc
production over 1912, the department
SAID. while latest reports on actua
products indicate an increase of only
3 per cent. Hence, the downward
revision in estimates of civilian sup.
plies OF some commodities.
Labor and Machinery Problems.
THE biggest problem in exceed
ing or even attaining this volume O.
production, assuming favorable
weather, is scarcity of farm labo
and farm machinery" the depart
ment said, adding, however, tha
steps being taken for recruitment O.
workers are expected to alleviate {
tight labor situation.
| The department said civilian de-
| mand for a number of unrationec
foods, particularly poultry, eggs anc
fresh fish, is expected to be con.
siderably larger than the supply, al.
though the production of poultry
and eggs is likely to be the largest
on record.
The estimated per capita supple.
of other important foods under
present production prospects as COM
pared with those forecast under pro-
duction goals included:
Lard, IA and 15.5 pounds; butter
1877 and 1873; margarine, 36 anc
4.6; citrus fruits, 539 and 66.4
apples, 35.9 and 37S; other fresh
fruits, AIS and 45.2; canned fruits
rs and 6.8 pounds; dried fruits, Al
and S; fresh leafy, green and yellow
vegetables, $50 and 69.6; tomatoes
25.1 and 25.8: canned vegetables
29.7 and 239; dry edible beans, rs
and 7.3; potatoes, 1897 and 1892;
sweet potatoes, 216 and 26.9; sugar
685 and 62.2: rice. 40 and 81.