The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1948-12-16
Outlook
For 1949 Told
By State Leader
Demand Will Be
Strong For Form
Products In '49

expect in l949 regarding prices
OF commodities they produce to
sell, as well as of what they will
have to pay for things they buy,
is found in the farm and home
outlook, Looking Ahead in 1949,"
prepared and being distributed
by the Mississippi Extension SER
vice.
The business of farming should
continue good in l949, according
to j. V. Pace, leader, Extension
economics.
If the international tension
continues much as it has been
during recent months, a high
speed economy, though not as
high as under actual war condi-
tons, will exist. The 1949 outlook
is based on this most likely situa- :
ton.
Heavy industrial employment
at high wages is expected in 1949.
This should result in strong de-
; mand for farm products.
Prices of farm products likely
> will average a little lower than
) in 1913.
The 1949 support prices will
, continue at 90 per cent of parity
l for the basic crops, cotton, corn,
S wheat, tobacco, peanuts and rice.
e AS result minor price declines
t of these crops occur, even with
r heavy 1949 production.
Production costs to the farmer
4 will be as high, or higher, thar
last year Feed costs! an exception
It to this, will be lower
Net income to farmers in 1949
Is expected to be lower, with
higher produc ton costs and lower
farm prices. Still, total net in
come should be above any year
before 1916 and about three times
prewar.
That the cotton outlook is less
S favorable than for the past few
r years is Of concern to Mississippi
D farmers. Prices have declined
l. from above parity to about the
e loan level.
S Domestic demand for cotton
: textiles has weakened. Competi-
ton from rayon and other syn
u thetic fibers is greater than at
n any time in history, and will in
: crease.
Total supply of cotton in the
United States for the 1948-49
: season is estimated at about 1873
e million bales. Consumption here
in this period is expected to he
around nine million bales, and
exports may reach four million
bales. This will make a total of
about 13 million bales used here,
; and exported. leaving carry
over next August of about five
|, and one-half million bales.
If in the 194o-5O season. the
United States cotton acreage is
eight to ten per cent above the
l948 acreage, normal yields would
give a crop of IS million bales.
Under such conditions, acreage
allotments and marketing quotas
would be proclaimed in 1880.
II farmers substantially in
crease cotton acreage in l949, and
Yields are favorable, the resulting
laree crop might have a bad eff
feet on the cotton situation for
the next several years.
In livestock, more pork and less
beef is in prospect for 1949.
Livestock production should
continue to be profitable in 1949
despite recent breaks in live
stock prices. Buving cattle TO feed
out will carry the most risk. Hog
prices should continue relatively
high in the first half of 1949.
dropping more than normal dur
ing the latter half because of in
creased marketings.
The dairy outlook will con-
tinue favorable in 1949. Lower
feed costs probably will more
than offset increase in other
costs, resulting in little larger
net income to dairymen than in
1913.
In poultry, gross returns from
sale of products probably will be
slightly lower than in 1948. but
lower feed costs should result in
higher net incomes. MANY farm
ers and backyard poultry raisers
will rush to get back into the
poultry business. Go back onlv
on sound permanent basis. eco
nomists caution. -
Commercial truck farmers NAV
receive slightly lower prices in
l94e because of increased pro-
duction, but the demand is ex-
pected to continue strong Forest
products prices are expected to
continue about in line with 1e48
prices.
Fertilizer prices are not expect
to continue about in line with
1913 prices.
Fertilizer prices are not EXPECT
ed to be cheaper and NAV be
higher. Supplies of fertilizer win
be more plentiful than for several