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Man-power A total number of 34,000 labour units have been withdrawn from primary industries for home defence or service overseas. Some of these were absent for short periods only, and at least 16,000 were returned to their former employment prior to the close of the past season. In addition, farm labour has been recruited from other occupations or from family labour, leaving a net deficiency of approximately 10,000 to 12,000 units. It is expected that arrangements now completed will rectify this shortage. Fertilizer-supplies The entry of Japan into the war precipitated a crisis in fertilizer-supplies. Rationing was introduced, and the limited quantity available for top-dressing pasture has had a detrimental reaction on soil fertility and pasture growth. These effects were particularly noticeable under adverse climatic conditions experienced last season. A comparison, of production under war conditions with that of the period of normal activity preceding 1939 is of interest. The following tables give average production of our principal livestock and cropping industries for the five seasons ending in 1939 with comparable data for the war period.

Live-stock Production

Cash Crops: Acres in Crop

The cumulative effect of factors beyond the control of producers is noticeable in butterfat and meat production. To some extent the meat situation is influenced by heavy killings of capital stock during 1942 and 1943 and a reversal of this tendency in the 1943-44 season. The dairying industry

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Estimated Total Production in Long Tons. Season. Butterfat: Meat : Year ended Wool: Year ended Year ended 31st July. 30th September. 30th June. Average of five seasons, 1934-35 to 185,000 470,000* 134,000 1938-39 (Three seasons only) 1939-40 .. .. .. .. 185,400 535,000f 138,000 1940-41 .. .. .. .. 200,400 515,000} 148,000 1941-42 .. .. .. .. 188,700 535,000f 154,000 1942-43 .. .. .. .. 174,700 537,000 152,000 1943-44:]:.. .. .. .. 166,000 486,000 147,000 Average of five seasons, 1939-40 to 183,000 522,000 148,000 1943-44 * Years ended 30th June. f Assessments. J Forecasts.

Areas threshed. Commercial Areas outside Boroughs. Season. peftg Total. Wheat. Oats. Barley. Maize. and n , . ~ . Beans otatoes. Onions. Average of five seasons, '214,200 63,400 22,400 6,900 19,100 21,900 800 348,700 1934-35 to 1938-39 1939-40 .. .. 257,500 49,800 25,300 8,000 21,400 20,000 800 382,800 1940-41 .. .. 243,200 71,700 32,000 10,800 35,100 17,000 900 410,700 1941-42 .. .. 258,000 70,800 36,000 8,800 31,300 15,200 800 420,900 1942-43 .. .. 287,000 56,300 28,600 7,300 33,300 23,900 1,000 437,400 1943-44* .. .. 246,000 48,400 32,800 7,000 47,500 27,000 1,000 409,700 Average of five seasons, 258,300 59,400 31,000 8,400 j 33,700 20,600 900 412,300 1939-40 to 1943-44 j * Forecasts.