The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1944-03-23
South America Is Large qq06diIc8Sif R'''''''
OF Rice. Due To War Conditions

South Americd.-EDIToR.
The principal food of nearly one
third of the human race, rice has been
said to be one of the most important
foodstuffs of the world. Although It'll
is not an idigenous food of this con-
tinent Latin America, raised on al
Mediterranean culinary tradition,
makes rice a standard article, one of
the pillars of its diet. Even in the
countries where it is not a staple
food, it is used extensively as SUBJ
stitute for potatoes.
Wild rice was known to the inhab-
itants of the New World before its
discovery, but it was the Spaniards-
who earlier had been introduced to it
by the Arabs-who brought over cul-
tivated rice to some parts of South
America.
Rice was grown in Peru as early as
the end of the 10th century. A hun
dred years later, it was cultivated in
the country to an appreciable extent
although the first actual experiment
of rice culture as such, in Latin Amer
lea, seems to have taken place in Bra
zil.
Brazilian books and documents of
the time "would indicate that this GER
cal was cultivated in certain sections
of the country even before the 10th
century, while it seems to have al
/ ready been an established industry by
| the middle of the 18th century" An
annual, the rice plant is grown most
successfully in hot countries where
plenty of water is available. Howev-
er, the fact that it is not an exclusive
ly tropical cereal and that its area of
cultivation goes beyond the 45th de-
gree of latitude makes this cultivation
possible to all the countries of Latin
America.
In spite of that, up to recent years,
although at least half of the nations
of the hemisphere were small rice
producers and exporters-by a most
perplexing phenomena, probably due
to the chepaness of the foreign pro-
duct-all of them, including the Unit
ed States, were buyers of rice, mostly
from the Orient.
However, shortly before World War
/ Ii and the close of the Oriental mar.
ket, Latin America came to a realiza-
tion of the rice situation and decided
to do something about it. The produc-
tion of the cereal was boosted and
stimulated in a number of countries
nearly all adopting programs aimed
. at increased rice production and re.
duced imports.
Some countries, such as Panama
placed an embargo on rice imports tt
protect local farmers. In others
grain and land were distributed ane
technical advice given by the Govern
ments to encourage increased produc
ton.
How favorable this campaign ha.
been to the rice production of Latil
America is proved by results and fig
ures. Brazil, Ecuador (both anon,
the large rice producers of the world
Peru, Paraguay, Colombia, Cuba an,
host of others have steadily an,
greatly expanded their rice output.
| The case of Chill is particularly an
teresting. Twelve years ago, Chill
imported $500 metric tons of rice an,
produced none. Today, having grow
probably more than any other agricul
tural industry in the country, it pro
duces quantity sufficient to suppl,
the entire home market and leave al
export surplus of about $4,000 tons
Latin America is now approxima
lively selfsufficient in the productio
of rice, the surplus of the exportin,
countries being disposed of largely i
the neighboring deficit countries.
Rice from Brazil and Ecuador make
up the bulk of imports into othe
countries of the continent, thus, to
large extent, replacing rice formerl
obtained from other parts of tn
world.
What is more, much of the Orienta
production of that cereal being, be
cause of the war unavailable, Lati
America is contributing TO Allie
lend lease shipments with rice, esti
mated 400,000,OOO lbs. in 1912.
An interesting fact is that, in
great many countries, it is Orienta
both Chinese and Japanese-laborer
who have planted and are now work
ing on the rice plantations of th
American nations, under America
skies.
The greatest concern of the Lati
American rice-planters now, is wheth
er or not they will be able to compet
: on price basis with the Far Easter
product in the post war cara.
Whatever the answer to that oues
tion may be, there is no doubt that b
adding rice to the list of importan
l raep L