Large Reduction Noted in First Crop Estimate A large decrease in the crop production in China this year in comparison with the bumper crops of vast year is predicted by the Department of Crop Reporting of the Ministry of Industry due to decreased acreage under eutivation and the serious drought last autumn.
In the first estimate regarding the production of winter crops covering seventeen provinees in China, Char= har, Suiywan, Ninghsia and Tsinghai provinces in the spring-sowing region fof the North-West being excluded, the crop report states:
'Wheat production is estimated at 249,510,000 Shi piculs, @ decrease of 23 per cent. or 102,784,000 Shi piculs in comparison with the amount proued in the same seventeen provinees the preceding year. For' barley, it is estimated at 128,119,000 Shi piculs, a decrease of 38 per cent or 27,906,000 Shi piculs In comparison with the preceding year; for field peas, at 49,764,000 Shi piculs, a decrease of 25 per cent, or 16,203,000 'Shi piculs; for broad beans, at 54 387,000 Shi piculs, n decrease er cent. or 5,580,000 Shi piculs; for rapeseed, at 42,099,000 Shi pien decrease' of 11 per cent, or 5,490,000 Shi piculs; and for oats, at 7150,000 Shi piculs, a decrease of 29 per cent, or 2,958,000 Shi piculs, Such a tremendous decrease in the production these crops is unprecedented dur ing recent years, Causes of Decrease This decrease In production Is due, the first place, 10 the decrease in acreage and, secondly, to the diml= rushing of yield, both, however, being the effect of the serious drought that prevailed last autumn, As reported Ju the preceding issue of "Crop Reports," the planting of winter crops Was delayed or prevented by the widespread drought; and the following decrease in acreage resulted: wheat, 18 per cent; barley, 9 per cent; field eas, 10 per cent; broad beans, 2 per cent. rapeseed, 5 per cent; and onts, pbr cent, Since rainfall was scanty uring the spring, the growing condi~ tion of the crops was poor, which accounts for the reduction expected the yield. The prospect. for wheat.
only'89 per cent. of the normal; for barley, 62\per cent, of the normal: for field peas, 56 per cent, of the nor mal; for broad beans, G0 per cent. of normal; for rapeseed, 60 per cent. of the normal; and for oats, $4 per cent, of the normal, These are all con siderably lower than for last year, If ranked by province, the crops in Hopei, Honan, Shansi, and Shens! are the poorest, averaging not quite 50 per cent. of the normal. In Kansu, Szechuan, Yunnan, and Kweichow they are' better, averaging 50-00 por cent. of the normal; and in Shantung, Anhwei, and Hupeh they "are still (better, averaging 60-70 per cent. of the normal, The best crops are found in Kiangsu, Chekiang, Kiangsi, Hur van Fukien, and Kwangtung Prov-Jnees, where above 70 per cent. of the normal, or an average year's crop, is expected. Although an creased production is estimated in these provinees due to the promising, condition of the crops there, the me crease, nevertheless, is _insiynificant in comparison with' the total produetion of winter crops because these provinces represent. the riee-produc-Ing regions of China, where winter-planting is not widely practised,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.